METH: NO LONGER JUST AN URBAN DRUG EPIDEMIC

To the citizens of Pinal County: I know it will not come as a surprise to
many of you when I say that Pinal County has a serious Meth-amphetamine
problem. We hear reports in the news every day about the terrible effects
of this drug. In May 2001, Pinal County lost Deputy Jason Lopez, who was
shot and killed by a suspect who was high on Meth. This tragedy is a
terrible loss for Jason's family, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and his
community and it is a clear example of the toll Meth is taking on our
county. The Meth epidemic is tearing families apart! It is threatening
children's lives. It is hurting our communities. And it must be stopped.
Whether they know it or not, Methamphetamine affects every citizen in Pinal
County. Meth use is currently a factor in over 85% of property and identity
theft crimes in Arizona. It is also a major contributor to violent crimes,
like the murder of Deputy Lopez. Unlike drugs such as heroin and cocaine,
Meth is a "make-it-yourself" drug that can be manufactured by amateurs
using everyday ingredients found on the shelves of the local grocery store.
The primary ingredient in Meth is ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine, a common
ingredient in Sudafed and other over-the-counter cold medicines. Detailed
recipes and instructions for manufacturing Meth can be easily found on the
internet with nothing more than a cursory Google search. While producing
Meth might be easy, it is also dangerous. The production of Meth creates a
risk of fire and explosion. It produces lethal chemicals that leave behind
a toxic mess that is incredibly difficult to clean up and eliminate. For
every pound of Meth produced, between five and six pounds of toxic waste is
generated. This waste gets poured into kitchen sinks, flushed down toilets
and dumped in deserted fields, creating toxic dumpsites right in our
neighborhoods. Because Meth production leaves behind a toxic residue,
unsuspecting residents or visitors can be harmed by the chemicals from Meth
production long after the cook has moved on.

Meth labs exist in Pinal County homes, hotels, motels, apartments and even
in automobiles. They are just as likely to be found in rural communities as
they are in big cities, leading some experts to call this the first "rural
drug epidemic." The drug itself is powerfully addictive. It causes damage
to the brain and often permanently impacts the cognitive capacity of those
who use it.

But perhaps the worst aspect of Meth is the effect it has on Pinal County's
children. Children who live in situations where Meth is manufactured are
exposed to toxic chemicals on a daily basis. And the children of Meth users
have no defense against parents who are alternately abusive and neglectful
of their children as they live from one high to the next, one crash to the
next.

In recent months alone, I have read of a 9-month-old who climbed out of a
two story window because his parents were too strung out on a Meth crash to
wake up; a baby whose parents nailed a plywood sheet over the crib to make
sure the baby couldn't escape while they were on a Meth high; and the baby
who died of an overdose from breastfeeding from a mother who got high on Meth.

These stories are only a small selection of the horrors facing children
growing up in a house with Meth-addicted parents. In fact, Meth is the
single biggest factor that leads children in Arizona to be removed from
their homes and placed in long-term foster care. Clearly, in order to keep
children safe, we have to stop the Meth epidemic not only in Pinal County,
but in Arizona.

We have a tough road ahead of us - and with each passing day, the problem
gets worse. The number of Meth labs throughout areas of Pinal County has
grown significantly over the past years. This is a problem that cannot be
solved by law enforcement alone.

If we are to crush Meth in Pinal County and Arizona, we need to lock up
those who produce it - and treat those who use it. We need to prevent
dealers from attracting new users, and we need to enlist the help of
communities all across Pinal County to make it clear that we simply will
not tolerate Meth in our County.

Laws must be passed by the State Legislature, City Councils and Board of
Supervisors that will restrict the sale of ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine
consistent with what has recently been done in Oklahoma. The rule will
require that pseudo ephedrine and ephedrine products be sold from behind a
secured counter, such as the pharmacy counter at grocery stores which some
stores in Arizona are already doing voluntarily. But this law must go a
step further in requiring that people purchasing such products will have to
show identification and that vendors will be required to keep a record of
every purchase.

I want all retailers who are currently selling pseudo ephedrine products to
be able to continue to sell these products but in a secured manner that
prevents would-be Meth cooks from endangering Pinal County's children. In
Oklahoma, restrictions like this have resulted in up to a 70% percent
reduction in Meth labs in many areas of that state.

This is a problem big enough that we all have to work together, regardless
of party affiliation. I am convinced that the changes put in place in
Oklahoma are one of the quickest and most effective ways to stop the Meth
problem here in Pinal County and Arizona. It is not the only solution, but
it is a critical piece of a broad approach.

This is one of the greatest public safety challenges our state has ever
faced, and it is going to take all of us to crush Meth and keep our
children safe. Encourage your Legislators, City Council and Board of
Supervisors to research and pass laws that will help law enforcement attack
this epidemic.

Thank you, and may God Bless you all.

Chris Vasquez, Pinal County Sheriff