The Meth Epidemic free essay sample

The origin of methamphetamine in the U. S. started on the west coast in the state of Oregon. This is a man-made drug that is easily â€Å"cooked† in kitchens across the U. S. Pseudoephedrine is the main chemical ingredient in the drug and also the key component of cold remedies such as Sudafed. The Pseudoephedrine is combined with other chemicals readily available in gas, rubbing alcohol, or drain cleaners. The effects of the drug are of a distinct deteriorating effect. Some people have nicknamed it â€Å"meth mouth† where the user’s teeth have blackened and stubbed due to lack of oral hygiene. It causes the elasticity in the skin to go away so the skin sags causing the user to look decades older than they really are. Sores develop on the body, because meth users sometimes see hallucinations of bugs crawling under their skin, and so they try to scratch something that isn’t there. We will write a custom essay sample on The Meth Epidemic or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Their immune system isn’t what it used to be since they are poisoning the body, therefore it seems that the common meth user always has a visible sore or two on the body. Since the drug actually makes the blood vessels shrink, it causes a boost of energy, making the user feel very productive or over confident, I should say. It is said that meth is such an ultra-stimulant, that users often stay high all day off one hit. In 2005, it was reported that over half of Portland, Oregon were meth users. It caused homes to be split apart and thus, half of the foster care provided by the state was children whose parents were involved with meth using or meth making. Also, 85% of property crimes were committed in relation to meth. Many homes were like this on the west coast, however the east coast had yet to see this. The independent investigative journalist that focused national attention to meth addiction in the U. S. was Steve Suo, from the Oregonian. He was very concerned with the statistics of meth. He did a study and transformed data into maps. In 1992, there was only Oregon shaded for meth. By 1997, the number increased to shade through the Midwest. By 2003, meth was reaching the east coast. Someone had to do something about this epidemic. He found huge spikes and fall offs over a period of years. He wondered why they were so consistant. Suo spoke on PBS in an interview about interviewing a 9 year old girl who had seen horrible things for her age. She described the way she would feel sick when smelling the cooking going on in the house. She had to perform sex acts with the father and other adults when they were high on meth. These stories are not easy to hear for Suo, he is a dad as well. The proliferation of meth manufacture and distribution in the U. S. began in the early 1990’s when the Amezcua brothers (Colima Cartel) smuggled 170 tons of pseudoephedrine into the U. S. , making about 2 billion hits of meth. Krebs Biochemical factory in India manufactured ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and that is who the cartel was getting it from. Having no clue as to what was happening in the U. S. , the Indian company stayed in business with them until March of 1994, when a cardboard company had 3. 4 tons of ephedrine on cargo. Now the Indian connection is gone, so what now? The purity of meth plunged in statistics and lives. In early 1996, meth purity was lowest it had been in years, then it rose again in 1996. Suo, the journalist, noticed these patterns and took great interest to solve the mystery of the rise and fall of the meth epidemic. In 1986, Gene Haislip was the number three man with the DEA. He had an idea to go after the chemical components that go into meth. The quay lewd has gone away because they discovered Columbians couldn’t get their drug powder and it eliminated the problem. So, the idea that they could do the same for meth was out there. Bob Dole introduced bills in 1986 to I. D. everyone who desired to purchase pseudoephedrine. It was a bill that would negatively impact the industry, so it was shot down. An appeal was made to a higher authority, the lobbyist for the drug industry and the evidence and presentation was there, but they wanted to exempt cold medicine from the law, as the chemical when it was sold in form of a pharmaceutical. An agreement was made with the loop-hole. In 1986, 4 out of 5 hits consumed by meth users were in superlabs in the central valley. The police hit labs that were huge and some were small. The ideal location for a lab would be in vacant areas and they could cook and be gone in 48 hours. The police had a counter strategy and planted cameras in the 1990’s. Companies licensed by the government were used to supply the superlabs, but it was too late. Haislip’s Act was eliminated by an act of congress and that gave everyone a year to adjust and the trafficker’s a year to adjust to become smarter criminals. Robert Pennal spoke in this film about all the bottles they were finding with French writing with no markings. Only 60 mg, white bottles with 1000 count. It took two years to realize they were being smuggled from Quebec, Canada. The â€Å"smurfing† effect began as meth manufacturers were gathering at pharmacies and buying the maximum amount allowed and then doing it all over again. When they got the desired amount, they would cook it up. In 2003, another proposal was made and cold medicines were put back behind counters. Seventy-five percent was being diverted to meth. On 2004, Oklahoma was the first state to pass the law and Oregon followed suit. Then the national chains began to voluntarily put the produce behind the shelf, but the Mexican cartel found a better source. The Mexicans pharmaceutical companies legally imported 224 tons of pseudoephedrine which was twice as much than needed to make cold medicine. So, in Mexico, you could only buy three boxes at a time, although it was stated that they didn’t really care how many you wanted to buy. They would cook extra into meth and smuggle it to the U. S. In 2006 Combat Meth Act was Nationwide and buyers would have to registers first. In addition, U. S. government convinced Mexican imports to just amount needed to make cold medicine, which was so little, they banned it altogether. Then the old â€Å"biker† method of meth making came back again. Seventy percent seized was half as potent as five years ago and the weaker the meth, the least likely to become addicted. In 2004, before the law change, there were 64 meth labs in Multnomah County, Oregon. In 2010, after law change, there was only one. Deputy Bret King created awareness by using before and after mug shots of people arrested affiliated with meth. The results were astounding and the campaign became one of the most potent illustrations of meth’s dangers and its ravaging effects. The pharmaceutical field improved their system with prescription mandate. My reaction to this program was a tear. I know being in the nursing field, that I am going to experience a lot of things. I just hate to see the horrible way they look after only a short time of abuse. No abuse of any kind is any good, of course, I am just saying that these people are still people and not really given a fair chance to say if they choose to do this drug because they have no voice once they take that first hit. I will never, ever, ever try this drug, that is a promise. I found the information on this matter very informative and interesting.