COMMISSIONERS APPROVE RESOLUTION URGING STRONGER PENALTIES FOR METH RELATED
OFFENSES

Mary and Darren South came to the Ashe County Commissioners meeting Monday
with resolutions encouraging stronger penalties for those involved with the
manufacture and sale of methamphetamine. Darren is an Ashe County resident
who is a volunteer member of the Deep Gap Fire Department and was seriously
injured last year after a fire started in a home that had a meth lab in it.

Both Darren and his mother, Mary, talked about the serious problem of meth
labs in the county and how something needed to be done before the problem
grows even more serious.

After breathing in the fumes from the chemicals of the meth lab during the
structure fire, Darren explained how he lost function of one of his lungs,
his eyesight, short term memory loss and still experiences severe headaches.

Now, a year later, he said his eyesight is still returning and he has 30-40
percent use of the lung that was damaged.

Despite his efforts for complete recovery, he still has various
complications. The Commissioners approved a resolution that urges stronger
penalties for both offenders that either sell or manufacture
methamphetamines. Commissioner Richard Blackburn asked that the resolution
be sent to other counties across the state.

RESOLUTION URGING STRONGER PENALTIES FOR OFFENDERS THAT SELL AND
MANUFACTURE METHAMPHETAMINE IN NORTH CAROLINA WHEREAS, the use, sale, and
manufacture of methamphetamine is becoming more evident in North Carolina;
and WHEREAS, the operation of manufacturing methamphetamine poses extreme
danger, not only to children who may inhabit the premises but to law
enforcement officers and firemen who may be called to the scene; and
WHEREAS, the availability of methamphetamine drugs needs to be completely
eradicated through all means possible. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the
Ashe County Board of Commissioners urge the North Carolina Legislature to
adopt laws that impose stronger penalties for offenders who operate
clandestine methamphetamine labs, and for the sale and/or offer for sale of
methamphetamine. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that adequate state and federal
funding for law enforcement agencies be a top priority in the Legislature
and that fire departments have availability to grants and other sources in
order to maintain necessary equipment for dealing with the dangers posed by
dealing with methamphetamine labs.

Duly adopted this the 19th day of January 2004.