PANEL OF EXPERTS OUTLINES METH'S EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY

"It's heartbreaking day in and day out. The heartbreak is every day,"
said a member of the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force.

Wednesday at the "Meth 2010: Killing a Community" workshop, a panel of
local professionals spoke about the impact of methamphetamine on
Kosciusko County and Indiana.

Each person on the panel said there is one thing that will curb meth
production significantly in the county: If pseudoephedrine is made a
scheduled drug, which means it is available only by prescription, the
number of individual meth labs will be reduced significantly.

Pseudoephedrine is the only component that is required to produce
methamphetamine in all methods of manufacturing the drug.

Panel members at the morning session of the two-hour workshop included
Dan Hampton, Kosciusko County deputy prosecutor; Steve Smith, Serenity
House; Dana Leon, president of the Kosciusko County Bar Association;
Captain Sherry Beck, Indiana State Police; John Sadler, Kosciusko
County coroner; Mary Gerard, United Way community impact coordinator;
Sally Mahnken, executive director of CASA; Vicki Ley, director of
addiction services at Bowen Center; a recovering meth addict; and a
member of the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force.

According to an officer, when the drug task force was formed in 1987,
it mostly focused on cocaine and marijuana in the community. Within
the past five years, 80 to 90 percent of the drug task force's time
has been funneled into fighting the meth problem.

"Methamphetamine is at epidemic levels throughout the United States,"
the officer said, adding that a large portion of all crime in
Kosciusko County can be traced back to meth in some way.

The officer added that methamphetamine use and production is at an
all-time high in the county, and showed examples of homes where meth
labs have been found. There also were photos of children living in
home with meth labs, and the officer said that many children are
exposed to the drug by parents who are users or "cookers".

Because meth affects the brain, symptoms exhibited by meth addicts can
mimic those of a paranoid schizophrenic. However, paranoid
schizophrenics can usually be treated with medication, and no such
treatment exists for meth users.

Also, most people who make meth do it for their own use, not to sell
for profit.

"This is not a profit-driven drug, it is a drug-driven drug," the
officer said.

He also said that 66 percent of people jailed in the United States are
incarcerated for meth-related crimes. Fifty percent of the inmates in
Kosciusko County Jail are in for crimes related to meth directly or
indirectly.

Sherry Beck, a captain with the Indiana State Police, said that in
1970 ephedrine was a scheduled drug, and making the drug available
only by prescription like Oregon did would significantly cut into meth
production in Indiana.

In 2001, Oregon police reported having 700 meth labs. After
pseudoephedrine was returned to prescription status, that number was
reduced to 10 in 2009.

"If you eliminate the ephedrine, it is impossible to make meth," Beck
said.

Beck also added that education is a key to fighting the meth
problem.

"We all have to learn about it and combat it together," Beck said. "We
have to come together in Indiana as a united front and show we are
serious about this problem."

Representatives from Serenity House and the Bowen Center talked about
treatment options for people addicted to meth. Meth treatment is a
long process that can take years and requires patience and
perseverance.

A recovering meth addict also addressed the audience.

"Meth seduces your mind into thinking it only needs that drug," he
said.

The man, who was only identified as Ryan, said he had a well-paying
job, a good family and many friends before he started using meth.
After he started using the drug, he said he isolated himself from his
family and friends.

"It took me six or seven years to lose everything," Ryan said. "It
grabbed ahold of me like nothing ever grabbed ahold of me in my life."

Ryan was arrested for dealing methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a
school, a Class A felony.

He said that the drug completely destroyed his life and he regretted
hurting his family.

"No family member deserves to go through what I put (my mother)
through," Ryan said. "It has not been an easy journey for me."

For more information about meth in Kosciusko County, visit
www.killingacommunity.com

Each person in the panel suggested that people contact their
legislators to make pseudoephedrine available by prescription only.

State Representatives for this area are:

David Wolkins (R), District 18

501 Pierceton Road

Winona Lake, IN 46590

E-mail: h18@in.gov

Phone: 574-269-2639

William C. Friend (R), District 23

3127 W. CR 1500N

Macy, IN 46951

E-mail: h23@in.gov

State Senators for this area are:

Marlin Stutzman (R) District 13

0250W 600N

Howe, IN 46746

E-mail: S13@in.gov

Phone: 260-562-3303

Ryan Mishler (R) District 9

P.O. Box 202

Bremen, IN 46506

E-mail: S9@in.gov

Phone: 574-546-2861

Jim Banks (R) District 17

Unopposed candidate for the November 2010 election

283 S. Eagle Glen Trail

Columbia City, IN 46725

www.jimbanks.us

Randy Head (R)

Logansport, IN

E-mail: S18@in.gov