It's easy and cheap to make, authorities say
MARQUETTE -- The numbers don't lie: meth busts in the Upper Peninsula have been increasing at an alarming rate in the last few years.
According to the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team, just a few years ago, they responded to just a handful of meth-related complaints in the U.P. In 2010, that increased to eight. In 2011, that jumped to 19, and already in 2012, UPSET has responded to 13 meth complaints.
"We're concerned because meth is easy to make and it's widespread," said Sgt. Ron Koski, a team leader for UPSET. "It's become a huge problem in Marquette County, but it's spread to several other counties, as well, in the last couple of years."
The local statistics run counter to an apparent national and state trend which shows a decline in meth use and meth lab complaints. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, there were 355 incidents at meth labs and junk sites in Michigan in 2011. In 2010, the number was 680.
And according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report filed last year, meth usage is dropping nationwide. In 2009, an estimated 731,000 Americans had tried meth in the previous month. In 2010, the number had declined to only 353,000.
None of which brightens the mood of Sgt. Koski who sees more and more U.P. residents attracted to a simple and cheap homemade drug.
"If the right person is making it," Koski says, "you can have your meth in 45 minutes to an hour."
The ingredients? Pseudophedrine (cold medicine), a solvent, a couple of other household items, Gatorade jugs, and hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. That's about it.
But beware. "It's a dangerous mix," Koski explains. "Hydrogen gas can mess up your respiratory ssystem and it can become explosive."
For the addicts, it's even worse. They can go on an extreme high, sometimes staying up for four or five days straight, staying constantly active, and losing weight at an alarming rate.
"They start craving more meth, they get dope-sick--that's what they call it," Koski says. "Their gums get loose, their teeth fall out, they start scratching themselves because they're so jittery. That's how they get those big scabs. And then they get huge mood swings."
Sgt. Koski says there may be some hope on the horizon. In particular, a federal law enacted last year put pseudophedrine behind the counter at drug stores, and required purchasers to show ID before purchasing the drug. That allowed officials to better monitor who was buying the drug.
In some states, according to Sgt. Koski, you now need a prescription for pseudophedrine.
But more help is needed. The average meth lab takes law enforcement officials 14 hours to process and clean up. That's precious time they could be using to track down other meth labs which officials know are out there in our neighborhoods.
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