METH SCOURGE TAKES A HIT

Ask many in law enforcement in San Juan County, and they will tell you that
methamphetamine is king.

By this they mean that this is the drug of choice among many of those
inclined to use illicit substances. It beats out just about every other
drug with the possible exception of marijuana.

There are several reasons for this: It is cheap, it can be imported from
elsewhere or manufactured locally and its effects can be long- lasting.

But the supply of this drug took a serious hit July 26 when officers with
the Region 2 Narcotics Task Force busted a Farmington couple and seized
nearly 10.7 pounds of uncut crank, as the drug is sometimes called.

This "rock" of uncut meth had an estimated street value of $500,000 and
could have been worth upwards of $1 million by the time it was mixed with
other substances, or "cut," to reduce its potency and make it marketable to
more people.

Agents estimated the rock could have yielded 30,000 doses of the illicit drug.

To the officers involved in the operation, congratulations and keep up the
good work. To the rest of the community, this is only an indication of the
drug trafficking that takes place in this area.

Methamphetamine is an insidious drug. In many ways, it is worse than many
of its counterparts such as cocaine because it is inexpensive and very
addictive.

The effects of the drug can last for hours or, in some cases, days. Since
it is a stimulant, it causes certain side effects such as sleeplessness and
loss of appetite.

That explains why many hooked on crank are incredibly thin. They also can
become irritable because of lack of sleep. If this behavior continues, it
can lead to paranoid and erratic behavior because of sleep deprivation.

These are just some of the side effects the individual might experience.
The costs to society and our communities can be just as devastating.

Eventually, many users run afoul of the law. This impacts the court system,
jails and prisons, not to mention the drug rehabilitation programs which
are too few and far between.

Families are often torn apart, husbands, wives or children left to suffer
because of a spouse's or parent's addiction. And the list goes on.

The arrest and seizure in Farmington is laudable. At least that
methamphetamine won't make it to the street. But it doesn't end the battle
against illicit drug use nor will it stop the hemorrhage of resources and
humanity it is causing in our society.