METH'S MESS

A Recent story on Stateline.org details steps some states are taking
to deal with the rising use of methamphetamine and the subsequent
fallout. Oklahoma wasn't mentioned in the article, although officials
here could have provided plenty of information. As The Associated
Press spelled out in a recent series of articles, methamphetamine use
in Oklahoma has mushroomed in the past decade. Once referred to as a
"white trash drug" by then Gov. Frank Keating, meth crosses all
societal boundaries. It's cheap, easy to make and highly addictive, a
sure recipe for trouble.

Consider these facts from the AP series:

The number of clandestine meth lab seizures in Oklahoma grew from zero
in 1992 to 1,254 in 2002, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of
Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control. Last year's total placed
Oklahoma fourth nationally in the number of labs seized.

Twenty-five percent of those who sought treatment in 2001 through the
state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said
meth was their drug of choice. Just five years earlier, the figure was
11 percent.

The percentage of Oklahoma high school students who say they use meth
stands at 11.5 percent, above the national average of 9.1 percent.

Oklahoma law agencies spend about $4.3 million a year removing
hazardous material from meth labs.

The drug's use by adults can lead to neglect of children. Last year, a
boy in Foyil grabbed what he thought was water from the fridge, but it
turned out to be lye intended for making meth. The boy lived, but his
doctor said the boy's esophagus was burned away.

A 2-year-old girl in McCurtain County was hospitalized this summer
after ingesting an unknown amount of the drug. In Tulsa last month, a
16-month-old boy was burned by chemicals being heated to make meth.

The story by Stateline.org, a Web site that focuses on state-related
issues, noted that legislatures around the country have passed laws
cracking down on those who make the drug, and that they're also trying
to curb its manufacture by restricting access to its ingredients.
Oklahoma has been out front in those areas. In 1990, we were the first
state to ban the sale without a license of precursor chemicals then
used in making meth. This year, our Legislature passed a law that
licenses wholesalers, manufacturers and distributors of meth's key
ingredient, pseudoephedrine.

Another law, which takes effect Nov. 1, will require that someone
selling a home must first disclose whether meth has been made on their
property. Why? Because the toxic chemicals left behind by meth labs
can seep into drywall, vents, drains, concrete and carpet. Those
contaminants can cause any number of health problems.

Stateline.org said public safety issues stemming from meth labs are a
pressing concern for states where abuse of the drug hasn't reached
epidemic levels. In Ohio, state officials met this summer to form
plans for educating the public and first-responders about how to
recognize meth labs and dismantle them safely.

"Usage has not been much of a concern in Ohio," one agency spokeswoman
said, "but we know that with the increase in labs, we're going to get
more of it."

As Oklahoma well knows, she can bank on that.