RECOVERY FOR METH USERS LESS THAN 10 PERCENT

Less than 10 percent of users addicted to methamphetamine have a chance of
full recovery from its deadly effects. Families are being torn apart by the
homemade cocktail of over-the-counter items.

"The family unit is the basic building block of our society.
Methamphetamine production, distribution and usage is destroying the family
unit," says Det. Duff Brumley of Cleveland Police Department's Special
Investigations Unit.

Brumley and his coworkers, detectives Matt Jenkins, Dean Beverly and others
said they have seen an increase in the use of meth by 17- to 19-year-old
females.

"It is difficult to watch these children destroy their lives," said Brumley.

Meth has been called many things including, "The Devil's Dust," "Crank" and
"Ice."

Brumley said people who indulge in the dangerous activity are quickly hooked.

"When you feel pleasure, its because your brain has been stimulated by
something it recognizes you like. The brain releases a chemical called
dopamine," said the veteran narcotic detective. "The dopamine is what
causes the happiness you feel. As meth usage and addiction progress, the
brain ceases to release dopamine unless meth is introduced into the body.
For those with serious addiction, it becomes physiologically impossible for
them to feel pleasure unless using meth," he said.

Severe depression sets in when the brain cannot release dopamine.

"The suicide rate among meth addicts attempting to recover from their
addiction, is far greater than other categories of people," said Brumley.

Meth can cause days or even weeks of sleep deprivation. Extreme paranoia
can set in on users law enforcement officials call a "geeker," or someone
who has been using meth for several days in a row.

"Many in law enforcement find themselves interjected into an intensely
dangerous situation that is extremely difficult to control," said Brumley.

Yet, Brumley still feels like cocaine and crack cocaine are more violent
drugs than meth.

CPD detectives said looking into the manufacturing of meth and the
distribution of the finished product consumes a minimum of 75 percent of
their investigative time.

"I speculate it occupies more than that of the Bradley County Sheriff's
Office Drug Enforcement Unit and the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force," said
Brumley.

Lt. Brian Quinn of Bradley County's DEU said officers who deal with
methamphetamine have to be trained to do their job.

"We have two certified clandestine methamphetamine lab technicians now. Two
more officers will be certified within the next 30 days," said Quinn.

DEU Officer Nick Phillips is also a site safety officer, or incident
commander, at the scene of a meth lab.

Phillips is responsible for making sure self-contained breathing apparatus
and other important safety components are used during evidence collection
and documentation of the scene.

Meth components cannot be stored as evidence due to the volatile nature of
the chemicals and compounds used.

Lt. Quinn agrees that a mandatory minimum sentence should be enacted as law
for the manufacturing and selling of meth.

"When we return to a residence where a meth lab was discovered on capias
warrants out of Bradley County Grand Jury, the repeat offenders are usually
'cooking' again," said Quinn. "We find another lab in production. Until a
minimum mandatory sentence law is established, we will continue to have
problems with these offenders," he said.

"We have a tough road to travel when it comes to beating meth," said
Brumley, "and those who are addicted need all the help we can offer them.
Many believe the current meth epidemic is the most serious domestic issue
facing our community. It is the origin of much crime and destruction of the
nucleus of our society and the family unit."