LAW OFFICERS SAY DRUGS SINGLE BIGGEST CRIME FOE

NATCHEZ - Drugs permeate all levels of the Natchez community says one of
the men on the frontline in the daily war on drugs.

"Drugs are everywhere and impact everyone at one time or another," said
Maj. Chuck Mayfield, commander of the Natchez-Adams County Metro Narcotics
Task Force. "No one is immune to drug abuse or from the trickle-down
effects drugs have on a community."

The largest way drugs affect Natchez is through crime, said Adams County
Sheriff Tommy Ferrell.

Ferrell said more than 90 percent of all crime in the area is drug-related.

"Other than crimes stemming from drug use, Natchez is pretty much a
crime-free community," Ferrell said.

Marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, crack-cocaine and prescription drug
abuse are the four most common drug problems facing Adams County, Mayfield
said.

Still destructive

Despite an ever-growing number of new drugs on the streets, Mississippi
Bureau of Narcotics Special Agent Ronnie Frazier said marijuana is still
the "most destructive drug on the market."

In addition, Frazier said today's marijuana is much more potent than
marijuana from the 1960s and 1970s. Experts determine the potency by
measuring the tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, in the marijuana. The more THC
in marijuana, the more powerful its effects.

In the 1960s and '70s, the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of one
marijuana cigarette was about .05 percent, Frazier said.

"The THC in one of today's marijuana cigarettes is 3.5 to 4.0 percent,"
Frazier said. "It is not the marijuana your mama used to smoke."

In addition to the actual physical and chemical effects of marijuana,
Frazier said use of the drug is dangerous because it leads to
experimentation with other drugs.

"Just like beer leads to whiskey, marijuana leads to other drugs," Frazier
said. "There is no question in my mind that marijuana is a gateway drug."

Dangerous production

But marijuana is only one of several drugs that law enforcement battles daily.

Crystal methamphetamine is "sweeping Adams County and the state of
Mississippi," Ferrell said.

Production of crystal methamphetamine uses highly flammable methods,
Mayfield said.

"These labs are highly volatile and explosive," Mayfield said.

Mayfield also said even the fumes and gases released during the "cooking
process" are toxic.

For lawmen, rooting out the secretive and highly flammable crystal meth
producers comes with an even greater risk.

"Most if not all of our crystal methamphetamine arrests are of individuals
who are armed and very dangerous," Mayfield said.

Ferrell said the "deadly drug" is being "rigidly addressed" by law
enforcement agencies.

Abusing prescriptions

Another growing problem, Ferrell said, is the abuse of prescription drugs,
particularly the painkiller Oxycontin.

"Oxycontin is very addictive and is a classified as a schedule II drug,"
said registered pharmacist Cheston Paul.

Paul explained the FDA schedules each drug for "addictive potential."

Paul said using the FDA's scale a schedule VI is non-addictive and as the
schedule number decreases, the addictive potential of the drug increases.

"Prescription drugs are controlled for a purpose," Mayfield said.
"Prescription forgeries are becoming more and more prevalent."

Mayfield said both doctors and pharmacists are "very helpful" in fighting
the increasing problem of prescription drug abuse.

Adams County has already had one Oxycontin-related death, Ferrell said.

Breaking the cycle

"Drugs are the biggest problem facing our community," Ferrell said. "In the
future, I would like to see a drug court in Adams County."

Adams County is the only county in Mississippi to have a juvenile drug
court, but plans for an adult drug court have not been made.

Such a court would create an intense probationary environment, by which
drug abusers could be closely monitored and treated for their addictions.

A move is afoot in Concordia Parish, La., to create a special drug court, too.

Until such a court can be established, law enforcement officers must focus
on utilizing the penalties already in place. Ferrell and Mayfield both said
they would like to see stiffer penalties imposed on offenders.

"Imposing the maximum sentence is a good deterrent because it lets people
know we are serious about combating drugs in Natchez," Mayfield said,
adding he would also like to see more treatment and rehabilitation for addicts.

"We are catching the same people over and over," Mayfield said. "If we can
help them stop using (drugs), the city will benefit."

A community problem

Mayfield also named community information, cooperation and education as
other keys to fighting the war on drugs.

"The people of the community are the eyes and ears of narcotics," Mayfield
said. "We (Metro Narcotics) can only be as effective as our community wants
us to be."

Mayfield said Metro Narcotics relies heavily on tips from the citizens of
Natchez.

"When members of the community report unusual drug-related activities, we
are then able to find the source of the drugs," Mayfield said.

"Going to the source of the drugs" dramatically decreases the amount of
drugs entering into the community, he said.

"People get drugs from dealers," Mayfield said. "But dealers obviously have
sources of their own."

Mayfield said cooperation between various law-enforcement agencies allows
Metro Narcotics to find and eliminate those sources.

The Metro Narcotics Task Force is a joint city-county agency that works
closely with the Natchez Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff's
Office and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Mayfield said.

"We also work hand-in-hand with Jefferson, Wilkinson, Franklin counties and
Concordia Parish," Mayfield said.

Another important deterrent is education, Mayfield said.

Not a week goes by that Metro Narcotics is not working to educate parents,
students, teachers and citizens on the dangers and realities of drug use,
Mayfield said.

"The more people we have on board with this fight, the better," Mayfield
said. "It is a group problem, and it demands a group solution."