METH

Retailers And Farmers Can Lend Police A Hand In Combating Its Production

Methamphetamine is a growing problem in the Midwest, and the
Panhandle and eastern Wyoming are no exception. A front-page article
in today's Star-Herald details the problem and what can be done to
combat its production.

The drug is made up of stuff that can be purchased at stores, a nasty
concoction - including such things as lye, engine starter and
anhydrous ammonia - that the drug dealers "cook" to produce the drug.

It's a drug that can be dangerous and ultimately deadly, which should
be obvious from the fact that anything made up of drain cleaner,
among other things, is not the best for one's insides. What happens
biologically and psychologically when someone takes this drug is also
part of today's news story.

In addition to the effects on the user's body, meth production is
notoriously volatile. If the next-door neighbor has a lab squirreled
away in his apartment, for instance, the whole building could be
caught up in a fiery explosion.

There's a reason why police dress in Hazmat suits when they bust a
suspected meth lab. Because of the ingredients, the drug's production
not only can result in explosions but environmental messes that can
cost tens of thousands of dollars to clean up.

Police could use some help, and that's where retailers and farmers
come into the picture.

Included in the front page article is a list of what goes into making
meth. No, we're not giving the recipe. Tossing all those things in a
pot and turning up the heat isn't going to result in meth, although
it's not something we'd recommend playing mad scientist with either.

Rather, the list has been printed so that stores can know what to be
on the look out for. Someone buying a box of cold tablets containing
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine probably has or knows someone miserable
from a cold. Someone buying enough to keep the symptoms away from an
entire platoon should raise questions marks.

The same goes with any item on the list. Large purchases of these
items could be a sign that a meth lab is restocking its supplies and
gearing up for another "cooking" session.

One key ingredient in the production of meth which is readily
available in rural areas is anhydrous ammonia.

Police suggest that farmers and ag chemical dealers keep tanks in
well-lighted areas and not to leave them in seldom-visited locations.
It also would be helpful to keep track of how much anhydrous ammonia
is in the tank, because it doesn't take a lot to concoct meth. If
some of the chemical has been swiped, or unusual activity is spotted,
don't hesitate to call the police.

Some information can lead to putting a meth lab out of business
before it blow s up or puts more meth out on the streets.