LEGISLATURE SHOULD HEED CALL FOR LONGER METH MANUFACTURING SENTENCES

Tougher Terms

Wood County Prosecutor Ginny Conley made a statement this week we hope
resonates with the reconvened West Virginia Legislature. Among other
things, Conley wants the Legislature to give circuit judges the power to
issue tougher sentences for the use and manufacture of the drug
methamphetamine.

"A lot of these sentences were legislated years and years ago," Conley told
the newspaper this week. "Times have changed, crime waves have changed, and
I think sentences need to be more appropriate to the crime." We agree
wholeheartedly with Conley on this issue. The use and manufacture of
methamphetamine has grown tremendously not only in our area but all across
the country. It is relatively easy to manufacture by using readily
accessible and inexpensive chemicals. In Wood County alone, 53 meth houses
have been the subject of investigation by the Parkersburg Narcotics and
Violent Crime Task Force during the past several months.

"I think the Legislature cannot ignore making some tougher laws this year
to address this drug and its various forms," Conley said. "But all the
penalties for all the drug offenses need to be stepped up."

There have been many calls in recent months by groups or individuals to
lower penalties for some, nonviolent offenders, including drug users. Meth
users and meth lab operators should not be included with this group because
of the danger the drug poses not only to users but to innocent bystanders.
Methamphetamine, known as "speed," "meth," "chalk," "ice," "crystal" or
"crank," is a highly addictive substance. A comparison to cocaine, another
highly addictive drug, shows meth's dangers. For example, smoking meth
leads to a high that can last between eight and 24 hours. Cocaine users
experience a high of 20-30 minutes. With cocaine, 50 percent of the drug is
removed from the body in one hour; with meth it takes 12 hours for that
amount of the drug to be removed. In addition with meth, after the initial
rush there is typically a state of high agitation that can lead to violent
behavior in some individuals.

Possibly the issue that makes meth more dangerous - at least to the
surrounding homes - is the fact "labs" where the substance is manufactured
are bombs waiting to go off. Because of the volatile nature of the
chemicals used to make the drug during the cooking process there is the
possibility of an explosion. This has happened in many neighborhoods and
deaths have occurred, although, luckily, it has never happened here.

Now, because state law isn't strict enough when dealing with meth cases,
many go to federal court. Conley is right to call for more discretion in
sentencing of these individuals in circuit court. The people making or
using meth are a danger to themselves, and they are a danger to the community.