BMH PROVIDES LESSON ON METH TO PUBLIC, STAFF

Beauregard Memorial Hospital's Brown Bag Lesson for May focused on the
growing problem of methamphetamines in the parish.

The lesson, conducted by BMH emergency department medical director Dr. John
McMillan and Lt. Craig Richard of the DeRidder Police Department Thursday
afternoon, educated members of the community and BMH personnel on the
dangers of the drug as well as warning signs of usage.

"Meth is on a slow rise," Lt. Richard said. "It's a very addictive drug and
the worst I've seen in 12 years of law enforcement."

Dr. McMillan started the lesson with an overview of what methamphetamine
does to, and for, a user.

"Medically it stimulates the senses and is a cheap high," he said.

Dr. McMillan explained that meth is being used as a stimulant and a
performance enhancer. The doctor explained that many students are using it
to stay up studying for tests, while athletes are using it to gain an edge
over the competition. He also told of a recent episode in the emergency room
where it was used as a diet supplement.

"Recently we had a high school girl taking meth pills to lose weight for
prom," he said. "Kids don't see it as a danger. It's not recognized with
heroin and crack for the danger that it is."

Lt. Richard explained that the drug is crossing social and cultural
boundaries.

"I've dealt with 50-year-olds, 20-year-olds and 16-year-olds," Richard said.
"This stuff is in the country club and it's in the backwood trailer with the
rebel flag flying. A first time hit will hook you and you'll sell your
momma's car and steal your grandmother's purse to get another one. The guys
and gals that cook this, few have college degrees, but most don't. However,
they're getting smarter."

Lt. Richard had items from an actual lab displayed at the lesson and gave a
brief overview of the the process used to make meth.

"You can take $200 worth of materials and 10 hours later have $2,000 worth
(of meth)," he said. "I'm not going to go through every step because I don't
want to educate anyone. If you're really interested you can go online, but
the Feds do monitor those sites."

Users get an eight hour high from meth compared to 30 minutes from
crack-cocaine or marijuana. And with four grams of the drug selling for
$500-$600, labs are on the rise.

Rural areas like those in Beauregard Parish are the perfect place for these
labs because the process produces and strong odor and for every pound of
product, six pounds of a toxic substance of which needs to be disposed.

"Right now, a small lab in Beauregard Parish will cost this parish
$10,000-$15,000 to clean up," Richard explained.

"We're lucky because it hasn't grabbed a hold of Beauregard Parish yet. We
have not been hit as hard as some of the northern parishes (in the state)."

Dr. McMillan explained that meth can cause the user to become a paranoid
schizophrenic and lead to clinical depression and Parkinson's Disease.

"It is a medical epidemic and we have to have law enforcement to help fight
it," McMillan said.