FACES OF METH

Sheriff's Office Plans Anti-Drug Offensive Aimed At Youth

The war on terror fills newspaper headlines across the nation, but a
different kind of war looms in mainstream America which affect rural
communities the worst - the war on drugs.

Law enforcement agencies in rural communities find themselves
fighting an ongoing battle, utilizing most of their resources in
battling a drug which can be made in any kitchen.

A drug with immense abuse potential, methamphetamine - known on the
street as speed, meth, crank, crystal-meth, and glass - is a central
nervous system stimulant of the amphetamine family. Like cocaine, it
is a powerful upper that produces alertness, and elation, along with
a variety of adverse reactions. The effects of methamphetamine,
however, are much longer lasting then the effects of cocaine, yet the
cost is much the same. For that reason, methamphetamine is sometimes
called the "poor man's cocaine."

With the help of the community, the Logan County Sheriff's Department
will publish a series of educational magazines depicting the adverse
affects illegal drugs possess.

Aside form illegal drugs, the magazines will also tackle different
subject such as crime prevention, domestic violence and child abuse,
to name a few.

"The community is really supportive in the fight against drug abuse,"
Sheriff Bob Bollish said, citing the outpouring of financial support
from local businesses.

Sgt. Russ Swingle said the departmentwide effort is geared toward
education and awareness of what drug abuse can do to an individual, a
family and the entire community.

Swingle added that the educational materials will include coloring
books and other information geared toward children in an effort to
reach school children before the tight grip of drugs get to them.

"We will be doing presentations in schools and handing these out to
children so they can easily understand what can happen if they use
drugs," Swingle said.

"I am very proud of the program. We did something like this six years
ago in an effort to raise public awareness," Bollish said.

Kim Fox of L.A.W. Publications said they expect the educational
material to be in full circulation by June.

"This project would really educate the public regarding the warning
signs of drug abuse and what to look for deferring those who want to
use them by showing them the dangers of drug use," Fox said adding
that prevention is the achievement they are hoping for.

"Twelve years ago, it was marijuana. We fought it hard and then it
was cocaine and we pounded that. Now it's meth," Bollish said, adding
that some of the people they arrested back then are still in prison.

Bollish added that the literature will be distributed in hospitals,
schools and law enforcement offices.

"We have a significant problem with narcotics, specifically meth,"
said Eastern Colorado Drug Task Force Commander Jeff Annis.

More and more the task force are noticing that local lab/kitchen
production of the drug has been in decline and it is now being
brought in the U.S. from other countries.

According to Bruce Mendelson, director of data evaluation for the
Colorado Department of Human Services Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Division, the 'blue collar drug' is becoming increasingly prevalent
among Hispanics in metro Denver area as well as in Southeast Colorado.

The drug task force covers seven counties and works with 16 different
law enforcement agencies covering about 700,000 square miles.

Colorado is No. 2 in the nation for drug abuse and northeast Colorado
is No. 2 in the state, which is why members of the drug task force
and the agencies they are working with are tireless in their efforts
to combat this menace that is destroying lives, families and communities.

Bollish said his department has a state-of-the-art decontamination
mobile lab that is vital during drug raid operations.

Annis said their efforts in raising awareness is paying off, citing
that the public is a lot more vigilant in reporting suspicious
activity in their respective communities. Years ago, the public was
weary and afraid to report crime, especially involving drugs, but
with a renewed awareness, law abiding citizens are willing and able
to help law enforcement in this effort.