Crank, chalk, ice, glass. While there are many different street names for the drug, most know it as methamphetamine or meth. Whatever the name, it is one of the biggest problems facing Polk County and local law enforcement agencies today.
In an attempt to help combat the problem, a “Meth Summit” was held at the Coosa Valley Technical College campus in Rockmart on Nov. 3. The event was hosted by the Polk County Council for Children and Families.
At the summit, a number of authorities on the meth epidemic spoke out to inform the public on what meth is, what the consequences of the drug are and how the problem can be stopped.
What is meth?
On behalf of the Polk County Police Department, Capt. Michael McGee defined for those in attendance just what meth is and gave an overview of the problem on a national level.
McGee explained that meth is now the most widely used drug in America after marijuana. Meth affects the brain dramatically, he said, and most become addicted to the feelings of alertness and increased strength that the drug provides.
Meth is often manufactured in home laboratories known as “meth labs.” The list of ingredients for making meth is long and unorthodox. While the primary ingredient in meth is ephedrine, which is taken from over the counter cold medications, many other household products are thrown into the mix. According to McGee, these can include acetone, camping fuel, paint thinner and lithium batteries.
Meth can be injected, smoked, snorted or ingested orally.
“Some will put it on their skin hoping it will absorb,” McGee said.
In 2000, 8.8 million people reported using meth in America, McGee said. In 2003, that number had risen to 12.3 million, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Today, that number is projected to be even higher.
“Can you imagine what that number is now?,” McGee said.
In addition to feelings of increased energy, McGee explained that many, especially women, try meth for the first time with the hopes that it will help them lose weight.
“The weight loss is what gets a lot of women,” McGee said. “They hear about this drug that is making people lose weight and they say ‘let me try it, I’ll just do it a couple of times.’”
No matter the reason for trying meth though, taking the drug only one time results in instant addiction more times than not. Statistics provided by McGee showed that 99-percent of users become hooked after their first try.
Still others are drawn to manufacturing and selling meth because of the money that can be made.
According to McGee, sellers make $10,000 profit for every $200 spent on ingredients to make meth.
Meth hits home
Cedartown Police Chief Keith Barber stated that meth is the number one narcotic his department is having to deal with.
According to Barber, who has been with the Cedartown Police Department since 1980, he never saw cocaine in Cedartown until 1986. Meth, he said, didn’t hit Cedartown until 1996.
Now, nearly ten years later, the meth problem has gotten progressively worse, Barber said.
“Meth is taking the spotlight over all the rest [other drugs] now,” he said.
According to a report by the Rockmart Journal, meth labs have been increasing steadily in Polk County.
“Since Floyd County passed an ordinance limiting accessibility [of ephedrine],” Polk County Police Chief Billy Wills commented, “Our complaints of labs have doubled. We are getting more and more in our area.”
McGee stated that the county’s problem could partly be attributed to its many rural areas. The seclusion of these areas contributes to increased meth production and use.
An agent with Polk County’s Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) stated that between January and October 2005, four meth labs were found and dismantled in the county.
During that same time period, 30 narcotics search warrants were issued by the NET, which the agent said resulted in 42 arrests for meth.
The arrests made by the NET are the result of full-scale operations involving other agencies in Polk County. The statistics the agent provided, however, do not include the numerous other meth arrests made by other law enforcement agencies.
When he first began working with the NET, the agent said that both meth and crack were a problem in Polk County. Now, in 2005, he said that he has seen crack use dwindle as meth continues to rise.
“It gets worse and worse each year,” he said.
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