The fight against meth

 You're standing in line at the local supermarket, when you notice something very strange going on.
The person in front of you is purchasing not one or two boxes of a common cold remedy, but 10 or even more.
Or perhaps you spot someone at a local automotive supply store in the process of purchasing a whole case of car starter fluid - even though only one can is necessary to get a car started.
Maybe you've noticed strange odors constantly coming from a neighbor's residence - odors that indicate some kind of chemical reaction is taking place on the premises. Or maybe you've observed that your neighbor generates lots of trash that he treats in a very unusual manner.
According to a presentation given Tuesday at the Bradford County Courthouse, these and other signs are indications of the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Because the manufacture and abuse of methamphetamine is a growing problem in Bradford County - as well as other areas of the country - seminars were held in the area to educate emergency responders, law enforcement officials, and the public as to what to look for and how to combat the situation.
The program - "Clandestine Drug Laboratories: A Serious Community Hazard," was presented by representatives from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The organization came to the area at the request of Bradford County Sheriff Steve Evans.
When asked why the invitation was made, Evans said he believes that methamphetamine is the biggest problem Bradford County is facing in the future.
"I have talked to sheriffs all over the country, and they have described the devastation that the methamphetamine epidemic has caused in their counties," Evans said. "I have observed an incredible spread since its hit this county and I believe strongly that not only the sheriff's office, but everyone, needs to combat this epidemic."
The sheriff said that methamphetamine has been a serious problem in Bradford County for about the past two years.
"I want to firmly express my gratitude to the professional instructors that come to our county to help us with this problem," Evans said.
Between 75 to 100 members of the public attended the seminar in Courtroom One of the Bradford County Courthouse to hear the presentation given by the instructors. According to information provided by Michael McCampbell, project director for Circle Solutions for COPS, methamphetamine is a community problem which requires a community response.
"It's critical that we get the community involved to ferret out these labs," McCampbell explained. "Methamphetamine is not just a drug problem. It also involves the creation of hazardous waste and fire problems."
McCampbell explained that a study conducted in Longmont, Colo., revealed that 90 percent of the child abuse for that area was linked to methamphetamine.
Another instructor with the program was Mark Rokusek, who is a narcotics detective from Kansas City, Mo. According to Roskusek, a major problem with methamphetamine is it is so cheap and easy to make. He said that most of the chemicals needed for the manufacture of methamphetamine are available in common cold remedies, household cleaning solvents, and common kitchen matches.
Most methamphetamine manufacturers, Rokusek explained, are also users. They get into manufacturing the drug to support their habit, he said, and also end up selling some of it on the side.
Generally, according to Charles Stocking, a captain with the Cass County (Missouri) Sheriff's Office, one person in an area who knows how to make meth will teach 10 others how to "cook" the drug. These 10 will in turn pass the procedure on to another 10 people, causing the effect to snowball throughout an area. Stocking explained that in Kansas City, which has a serious methamphetamine problem, the situation was started by just one person who knew the formula for making the drug, and passed it on to a number of people, who in turn passed it on to more people.
Roskusek explained that a good indication that a person is involved in the manufacture of methamphetamine is the quantity of items he purchases. The key chemical needed in the manufacture of methamphetamine, he said, is pseudo-ephedrine, which is found in many cold remedies. In order to make one ounce of methamphetamine, he said, a "cooker" needs 20 to 25 boxes of such cold remedies, to obtain the necessary amount of pseudo-ephedrine.
Although about 30 clandestine laboratories were seized in Pennsylvania last year, McCampbell said the number of illegal meth operations in the state is probably much higher, due to the fact that the public and members of law enforcement have not been trained to recognize the signs involved in its manufacture. He said that in order for law enforcement to be effective, people must be willing to get involved in reporting suspicious operations to the authorities.