METHAMPHETAMINE USE AFFECTS ABUSERS, FAMILIES

First in a series

At the turn of the millennium, law enforcement agencies in Ashe
County began discovering a disturbing trend that was sweeping through
the small mountain county; a rise in methamphetamine trafficking and usage.

Methamphetamine or "crystal meth" has been a growing threat to
Western North Carolina communities since 1999 when the drug
reportedly replaced crack cocaine as the principle drug threat, the
North Carolina Drug Threat Assessment reported. Ashe County has not
been left untouched by the drug's debilitating effects.

In October of 2001, officials at the Ashe County Sheriff's Office
reported that methamphetamine was being transported into the area
primarily by various package delivery services from Phoenix, AZ, the
North Carolina Department of Justice said. Most of the
methamphetamine seized from distributors in Ashe originated from
producers in southwestern states and over the border in Mexico.

According to the NCDOJ, Mexican and Caucasian criminal groups
frequently transported as much as 5 to 10 pounds of the substance at
a time into various portions of North Carolina, often concealing the
drug amongst other products including produce and furniture.

In most cases, methamphetamine was sold or distributed in private
homes, local businesses, nightclubs, bars, and at truck stops. The
drug is often sold in cellophane bags or wrapped in some other type
of plastic material to prevent its exposure to the air. Commercial
truck drivers and members of Caucasian motorcycle gangs have been the
'carriers' of choice for some time now, the NCDOJ said. Over time,
the drug's distribution began to seep into every corner of the state,
including the western mountains and wooded eastern swamps.

The dangers of methamphetamine distribution can be hazardous to the
general population and are not limited to urban centers were drug
usage can run rampant. According to the Watauga County Sheriff's
Office, in October 2001 officials reported there had been some
drive-by shootings in the county that were believed to have stemmed
from methamphetamine transactions or distributions. The idea of
actual drive-by shootings in a rural county began to drive home the
point to law enforcement of the threat the drug could poise to the
stability of the community.

Traditionally, the majority of methamphetamine in North Carolina was
manufactured west of the Mississippi but local production has grown
in recent years particularly in mountain and eastern communities
where the mountain and wooded vegetation provide a natural cover for
laboratories, the NCDOJ said.

Owners of meth labs were beginning to become known as the moon
shiners of the day but this generation was concocting a homemade brew
that packed a much deadlier punch.

The amount of labs seized by North Carolina law enforcement hit a
spike between June 2000 and June 2001 as authorities discovered 15
meth labs statewide. Prior to 1999, officers seized only two to three
labs annually.

Part of the drug's appeal to users is the euphoric state it creates
when ingested. The drug gained popularity with the youth population
at night clubs and raves due to the fact that it enabled users to
stay awake and focused for long periods of time without needing
sleep, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services stated.

Users of methamphetamine progress through three different levels of
drug abuse. Low intensity users typically swallow or snort
methamphetamine, which acts as an appetite suppressant as well as a
stimulant. Low intensity users often progress to the state of binge
consumption which consists of users smoking or injecting the drug in
order to experience a quicker and more intense euphoric state.

The final stage of methamphetamine usage, and perhaps the most
dangerous one, is the stage of tweaking. During the stage of
tweaking, users abuse the drug for several consecutive days resulting
in sustained periods of sleep deprivation accompanied with feelings
of irritability or paranoia. When users reach the level of tweaking,
they will often do whatever they can to prevent the inevitable crash
they will encounter once the euphoric state wears off. Over an
extended period of usage, abusers will begin to experience a
decreased level of intensity in their euphoric state which is due to
their increased level of tolerance, the NCDHHS stated.

Short term effects from methamphetamine usage can range from paranoia
or anxiety to bouts of depression and fatigue. Users of the substance
have also reported experiencing mental delusions and in some cases
users exhibit violent or psychotic tendencies and actions. The long
term side effects from methamphetamine usage can be particularly
debilitating. Permanent damage to the user's lungs, liver, and
kidneys can be sustained over long term usage, The Camp Recovery Center stated.

Methamphetamine usage can also put a tremendous financial strain on
users and their families. Users will often spend their entire income
on achieving a fix from the drug and will often ignore the purchase
of common necessities in order to purchase methamphetamine. Once
users become addicted to the drug they may have difficulty in
maintaining employment and will often lose motivation to allocate
other forms of employment once they progress through higher levels of
usage, the Recovery Connection stated.

What most users of crystal meth do not realize is that their
consumption of the drug not only affects them but the people around them.

A study conducted by the NCDOJ disclosed that methamphetamine abusers
have committed a number of domestic crimes including spousal abuse
and child neglect while under the influence of the drug. The study
went on to explain that users who reach the abuse level known as
"tweaking" will often exhibit unpredictable behavior and violent
actions around family members. Partners are often physically abused
during a "tweaker" binge and the needs of children are often
overlooked or neglected altogether by the user. The magnitude of the
violent behavior methamphetamine users are capable of has already
been exhibited in the numerous automatic submachine gun and homemade
bomb seizures state and local law enforcement officials have seized
during laboratory raids in North Carolina, the NCDOJ said.

The lifestyles users develop can harm not only their health but that
of the people they associate with as well. In some instances, users
will construct and maintain laboratories for production while small
children reside in the same dwelling.

This past September, two Ashe County residents were charged with the
manufacture of methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the
purpose of manufacturing the drug. The two suspects were also charged
with child neglect due to the fact that two small children had been
living in the residence and may have been exposed to the dangers of
crystal meth production.

In part two of the Post's series on the rise of crystal meth usage
and its production in Ashe County, the efforts of the Ashe County
Sheriff's Office to rid the county of the drug will be highlighted as
well as the successes the office has enjoyed during "Operation Sleepy Eye."

In March of last year Sheriff James Williams sent a stern message to
methamphetamine users, "Sleep with one eye open, because we are
looking for you."