METH USAGE AFFECTS MANY PEOPLE

Methamphetamine use is becoming an epidemic in rural areas around the
nation and the people of Clermont and Brown counties are experiencing
the effects of the drug on their communities.

If you are like me, your knowledge of the drug is limited to what we
read in the newspaper and hear on TV nightly. I don't have experience
with drug usage, but I wanted to know more about this growing problem
and what communities can do about it.

I recently spoke with representatives of Talbert House and Brown
County Recovery Services to find out more about this epidemic. I
wanted to know what the physical affects of the drug are and found
out that meth is the most addictive drug known to man. Users develop
a tolerance quickly needing larger amounts to get high. It is a form
of "speed" and users may stay awake for days or weeks before their
bodies finally crash and they sleep. When using meth, addicts have no
desire to eat or sleep and only want more of the drug every few hours
"binging" for days.

Meth increases the heart rate to the point that blood pressure is
elevated and can cause the users arteries to burst. Heart attacks and
brain aneurysms are often the cause of death in meth users.

The drug can also cause anxiety attacks many times accompanied by a
high fever. The user may think that if they take a larger quantity of
the drug it will help them overcome the anxiety and instead it causes
death. Many users are paranoid and experience hallucinations.

The life span of a regular meth user is five to six years, with many
of them emaciated, their teeth destroyed and damage to their physical
bodies with cancer, brain damage, liver and kidney defects, lung
problems, reproductive problems and miscarriages in women users.

With all the bad effects of the drug, it is hard to imagine how
someone could even think of using "meth."

Stan Makrinos of Talbert House gave me an example of how someone can
get hooked on this dangerous drug.

A working mom is going to school to further her education and get a
better job, she also has to take care of her home and her children.
She starts using the drug to stay awake and get her housework and
homework done. It doesn't take long for her to get addicted, she
stays high for days on end not eating or sleeping. She is not taking
care of her children and soon loses her job. She neglects her bills
and isn't interested in keeping food in the house. She is now in a
downward spiral and nothing matters to her except getting the drug.
All ethical and moral values are gone. She may even abuse her
children physically and sexually.

The cost to her family is heavy because the children will be removed
from the home and placed with other family members or in foster care.
The cost to the community is high because an employer has lost a
valued employee, neighbors lives have been disrupted because of her
habit and their fears for her, the children and their neighborhood's safety.

The addiction becomes a community problem, not just a personal problem.

The only way that the cycle can be broken is through education. The
more people know the devastating effects of meth, the least likely
they will be to try it.

Consider this a warning if you have thoughts of experimenting with
this drug. It could be controlling your life in a matter of days.