POLSON - The war on drugs is not only alive and well in Lake County, it's intensifying.
The target of the heightened effort is the powerful, addictive stimulant called methamphetamine.
The drug, which attacks the central nervous system, is made relatively easily in secret, potentially lethal laboratories with poisonous household products purchased at local retail stores.
Why, you may ask, should we be any more concerned about meth than we are about other drugs?
Meth users and dealers are not the only ones put at risk by this drug, officials point out.
Children, innocent bystanders, neighborhoods, communities, and the environment face serious short-term and long-term hazards due to meth lab operators.
Meth trafficking and production present dangers to everyone from neighbors to law enforcement officers and firemen who come in contact with a lab. Among those dangers are potential explosions and fires, large amounts of hazardous waste and fumes, and possible violence between meth dealers.
Meth manufacturing involves mixing volatile chemicals into combinations that are extremely toxic. The process can damage the central nervous system, liver and kidneys and burn or irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
According to one local drug task force agent interviewed last week, some of the gases produced in a clandestine meth lab are instantly deadly if inhaled.
"The chemicals and fumes that permeate the walls, carpets, plaster and wood in meth labs, as well as the surrounding soil, are known to cause cancer, short-term and permanent brain damage and immune and respiratory system problems," states the "Neighborhood Resource Guide - Methamphetamine Labs" brochure distributed by the Northwest Drug Task Force (NDTF).
Meth labs also result in significant environmental damage.
"For every pound of meth produced, there are six pounds of toxic waste dumped somewhere," the narcotics agent said. "This stuff is dumped alongside roads, in local trash containers, and we've even found it in school playgrounds."
The agent, who asked to remain anonymous, describes most people who cook methamphetamine as "low life scum" who don't care about anybody but themselves. "They're looking to support their habit and make lots of money," he said. "They don't care about the innocent people they're affecting."
Meth users commonly commit other crimes such as child abuse, family member abuse, theft, burglary, rape and other sex crimes. Users of the drug often cause accidents when they get behind the wheel, according to the agent.
Meth is in "a class by itself," he commented. "You cannot compare it to any other drug."
In local street lingo, it's called meth, CR, crystal (or crystal meth), glass, ice, tina, crank, speed, blade, crypto and fast.
Other places, the drug may be called bikers coffee, chalk, chicken feed, methlies quick, poor man's cocaine, shabu, stove top, trash and yellow bam.
Every ingredient used in the making of the drug is labeled with the poison symbol of skull and crossbones, the agent points out.
"That is a huge thing," he said. "This stuff is so dangerous because it's totally poison and the mix creates toxic gases that are released into the environment."
While Lake County is leading the state in the number of meth lab busts - 18 so far this year - it is still not enough, according to the drug agent.
"I don't think we're even touching the surface of the real drug problem in our area," he asserted.
Officials speculate about why Lake County seems to have more meth labs than other areas. Among possible reasons are that it's a low income, economically depressed area, which may create more interest in making money producing it.
It's a huge problem that keeps getting worse, law enforcement officials say.
And the public can help, the narcotics agent pointed out.
A total of four agents work on the Northwest Drug Task Force in the grimy battle against meth and other drugs in Lake, Mineral and Sanders counties, and the Flathead Reservation.
The task force has a manpower issue that will soon get worse, when it loses one position due to lack of funding.
"The public doesn't understand the process of the task force," the agent said. "We are not visible, we're working undercover."
So far this year, NDTF agents have conducted more than 149 searches, and seized over 5.5 pounds of pure methamphetamine.
During 2001, NDTF agents took down five multi-pound drug traffickers who, combined, were responsible for bringing as much as 120 pounds of meth per year into the Mission Valley.
One case, the agent said, resulted in 50 federal indictments with a huge seizure of 1,000 pounds of the drug in California.
In 2002, the task force members conducted 109 searches, seized 13 meth labs, and arrested eight multi-pound drug traffickers who together were bringing in up to 36 pounds of meth per year.
The agent hopes that this article will generate increased public interest in helping fight illegal narcotics, especially methamphetamine, in Lake County.
"Our goal," he explained, "is to set up public meetings and presentations to educate the people in our community. We would love to do a huge slide show presentation, at Polson High School, for example, where it could hold as many as 500 people."
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes.
Officials believe that the only hope for combating the meth problem is public education and involvement.
A statewide public education effort called Meth Free Montana is swinging into high gear these days. For more information on that, go to the www.methfreemt.org website.
For those needing help with a and burn or irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat.
According to one local drug task force agent interviewed last week, some of the gases produced in a clandestine meth lab are instantly deadly if inhaled.
"The chemicals and fumes that permeate the walls, carpets, plaster and wood in meth labs, as well as the surrounding soil, are known to cause cancer, short-term and permanent brain damage and immune and respiratory system problems," states the "Neighborhood Resource Guide - Methamphetamine Labs" brochure distributed by the Northwest Drug Task Force (NDTF).
Meth labs also result in significant environmental damage.
"For every pound of meth produced, there are six pounds of toxic waste dumped somewhere," the narcotics agent said. "This stuff is dumped alongside roads, in local trash containers, and we've even found it in school playgrounds."
The agent, who asked to remain anonymous, describes most people who cook methamphetamine as "low life scum" who don't care about anybody but themselves. "They're looking to support their habit and make lots of money," he said. "They don't care about the innocent people they're affecting."
Meth users commonly commit other crimes such as child abuse, family member abuse, theft, burglary, rape and other sex crimes. Users of the drug often cause accidents when they get behind the wheel, according to the agent.
Meth is in "a class by itself," he said. "You cannot compare it to any other drug."
In local street lingo, it's called meth, CR, crystal (or crystal meth), glass, ice, tina, crank, speed, blade, crypto and fast.
Other places, the drug may be called bikers coffee, chalk, chicken feed, methlies quick, poor man's cocaine, shabu, stove top, trash and yellow bam.
Every ingredient used in the making of the drug is labeled with the poison symbol of skull and crossbones, the agent points out.
"That is a huge thing," he said. "This stuff is so dangerous because it's totally poison and the mix creates toxic gases that are released into the environment."
While Lake County is leading the state in the number of meth lab busts - 18 so far this year - it is still not enough, according to the drug agent.
"I don't think we're even touching the surface of the real drug problem in our area," he asserted.
Officials speculate about why Lake County seems to have more meth labs than other areas. Among possible reasons are that it's a low income, economically depressed area, which may create more interest in making money producing it.
It's a huge problem that keeps getting worse, law enforcement officials say.
And the public can help, the narcotics agent pointed out.
A total of four agents work on the Northwest Drug Task Force in the grimy battle against meth and other drugs in Lake, Mineral and Sanders counties, and the Flathead Reservation.
The task force has a manpower issue that will soon get worse, when it loses one position due to lack of funding.
"The public doesn't understand the process of the task force," the agent said. "We are not visible, we're working undercover."
So far this year, NDTF agents have conducted more than 149 searches, and seized over 5.5 pounds of pure methamphetamine.
During 2001, NDTF agents took down five multi-pound drug traffickers who, combined, were responsible for bringing as much as 120 pounds of meth per year into the Mission Valley.
One case, the agent said, resulted in 50 federal indictments with a huge seizure of 1,000 pounds of the drug in California.
In 2002, the task force members conducted 109 searches, seized 13 meth labs, and arrested eight multi-pound drug traffickers who together were bringing in up to 36 pounds of meth per year.
The agent hopes that this article will generate increased public interest in helping fight illegal narcotics, especially methamphetamine, in Lake County.
"Our goal," he explained, "is to set up public meetings and presentations to educate the people in our community. We would love to do a huge slide show presentation, at Polson High School, for example, where it could hold as many as 500 people."
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes.
Officials believe that the only hope for combating the meth problem is public education and involvement.
A statewide public education effort called Meth Free Montana is swinging into high gear these days. For more information on that, go to the www.methfreemt.org website.
For those needing help with a meth problem, the place to contact is the Lake County Chemical Dependency program, (406) 883-7310.
There, licensed counselors offer confidential services on a sliding scale, based on a person's income. If the person has zero income, the program's services are free.
"If we can save one child, one family member, from being exposed to meth production, then this article will have made a difference," the NDTF agent said. "As long as we have good working relationships in the community, and support, and work together, we can all help fight the problem."
Methamphetamine can be smoked, taken orally, snorted, or injected.
"There's no racial profile of meth users," the local narcotics agent explained. "It's about 50-50 between Native American and white, around here. It affects everybody and anybody."
He added that median meth user ages seem to be getting younger.
"High school kids are doing this stuff now," he said.
Drug language to listen for includes terms such as "tweeking" or "tweeked," "gacked," "wacked," "amped," "zonked," and "crankster," which refers to someone who cooks meth.
The term "binge" refers to a long period of meth use, when the user has been up for days.
Among the more obvious symptoms of meth use are:
• dilated pupils;
• sweating;
• dry mouth;
• flushed skin;
• acne sores, referred to by users as "crank bugs" because users think that they are itching;
• tremors, especially in the eyelids and legs, caused by lack of sleep and chemicals in the drug;
• loss of appetite, dramatic weight loss, and deterioration of the body;
• intense cravings for the drug;
• fatigue;
• paranoia (that can result in homicidal or suicidal thoughts);
• depression;
• restlessness;
• anxiety;
• insomnia;
• irritability;
• memory loss;
• aggressive and/or violent behavior;
• mood disturbances;
• delusions;
• psychotic behavior; and
• auditory hallucinations.