Barney Fife

Life has balance. As one of my uncles was a former-drug-using, commune-living, moose-riding, hippie and wanna-be mayor, one of my other uncles became a cop. He’s not only a cop, he’s a Chief of Police. But no matter how much he demands as much, I still refuse to call him “chief”. I call him “Barney Fife” instead. Mainly because the area he is chief of reminds me of Mayberry.

But Mayberry this is not. The other day, he sent me a presentation that he gives to schools and communities around Minnesota. A presentation about Methamphetamines. It is titled “Methamphetamines, the equal opportunity destroyer”. It contains a disturbing message and even more disturbing images which I have not included.

This is a very long Blog but I’ve watched friends become addicted and viewed their decent. This is an important message:

What is it?

• Illegal/Illicit drug – Illegally manufactured
• Powerful central nervous system stimulant
• Derivative of Ephedrine
• Extremely addictive
• Slang: Crank, speed, glass, poor man’s cocaine, amp, crystal, go-fast, tweak, zoom, fluff, shit

Methods of use:

• Ingestion
• Injection
• Inhalation (powder, aerosol)
• Smoke
• Absorption

What does it do to the user?

• Causes release of high levels of Dopamine
• Use triggers addiction, psychotic behavior and permanent brain damage
• Methamphetamine stays in the body for up to 12 hours. (Believed to remain in fat cells for about six months.)
• Produces energetic (often violent) behavior resulting in confusion, delusions, mood disturbances and paranoia
• Produces wild sleep cycles
• Loss of weight (reason for use with some females)
• Damage to the brain results in symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and epilepsy.

Meth Bing Cycle:

• Rush: Intense pleasure, Euphoria.
• 5-30 minutes … User’s heartbeat races; metabolism blood pressure and pulse soar.
• High: Unease.
• 4-16 Hours … User often feels aggressively smarter and become argumentative.
• Binge: Out of Control.
• 3-15 days … User maintains the high for as long as possible and become mentally and physically hyperactive.
• Tweaking: Danger, Isolation, Psychosis.
• End of the binge: User adjusts and prolongs high by taking more drug or other drugs
• Crash: Lifeless. Non-threatening.
• 1-3 days: User sleeps
• Normal: Depression.
• 2-14 days: As addiction increases, normal phase decreases.
• Withdrawal:
• Some symptoms … 30-90 days after last use.

Long Term Effects

• Dependence
• Addiction psychosis
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Mood disturbances
• Repetitive motor activity
• Rages and violent behavior
• Stroke
• Severe weight loss
• Inflammation of pericardium (heart lining)
• Damaged blood vessels
• Tooth and bone loss

Typical Minnesota “Cook”

• Typical Minnesota cook is a Meth user who makes Meth every 24-72 hours, makes 1 ounce (28 grams) per batch, provides Meth for 1-5 people, mostly family and friends.

What does it cost in Minnesota?

• 90% pure meth sells for about $7,000.00 per pound
• By the time it gets to the end user, only about 10-12% pure
• That original pound, cut numerous times, sold for about $33,000.00
• MSM (common) or rat poison (less common) used as cutting agents to increase profit

Powder Meth

• Gram $50 - $75
• Eight-ball (3.5 grams) $100 - $150
• Ounce (28 grams) $500 - $800
• Pound (453 grams) $7,000 - $10,000

Glass (Ice)

• Gram $100 - $150
• Eight-ball $300
• ½ Ounce $800 - $1,000
• Ounce $1,200 – $1,700
• ½ Pound $12,000
• Pound $20,000

“Cooking” in the “Clan Labs”

Nazi Method

• AKA: Birch method; Ephedrine is precursor – sold at pharmacies and supermarkets or imported illegally
• Anhydrous ammonia and lithium also utilized
• More efficient than other methods

Red-P Method

• AKA: Mexican National method
• Ephedrine is precursor
• Red phosphorus and iodine also utilized

Cleanup

• Clean-up, which is extremely resource-intensive, averages over $5,000.00, but can be as much as $100,000.00 or more. Most meth lab facilities must be condemned.
• For every pound of meth manufactured, there are six pounds of toxic waste created

· Chemicals in construction material

· Chemicals in furnishings

· Chemicals in ground or water source

Criminal Sanctions

• Controlled Substance Crime – 1st Degree
• Includes manufacturing any amount of meth
• Max: 30 years / $1 million
• Also illegal to possess precursors with intent (3 years / $5,000.00)
• Mandatory 86 month commit w/o criminal history

• Controlled Substance Crime – 5th Degree
• Max: 5 years / $10,000.00

• Anhydrous Ammonia Containment / Theft / Transport
• Max: 5 years / $50,000.00

• Failure to Affix Tax Stamps
• Max: 7 years / $14,000.00

Someone you know using Meth?

• Long Periods without sleep
• Long Periods without eating
• Cannot sit still – Hyperactive
• Picks at skin constantly
• Easily agitated & aggressive
• Grayish, leather-like skin
• Tooth loss
• Sores on skin
• Rapid weight loss
• Paranoid behavior
• Injection sites/bruising
• Red & dry nose
• Strange body odor
• Cotton mouth

Meth Encounters

• Stay 6 – 10 feet away
• Avoid shining bright lights at them
• Slow your speech and lower the pitch of your voice
• Slow your movements
• Keep your hands visible
• Keep the “Tweaker” talking long enough to get away
• Back out slowly, maintaining eye contact until you are safely away from harm.

I have a new respect for Barney Fife and the work he’s doing…