Methamphetamine

     Methamphetamine is a derivative of amphetamine that was first developed in 1919 by a pharmacologist in Japan.  By 1930, meth began to be used in treating asthma and narcolepsy with more recent use of the drug as an appetite suppressant and to treat certain attention deficit disorders in children.

     In the United States, motorcycle gangs were the original manufacturers (cookers) of the drug illicitly.  In recent years domestic production has been supplanted by Mexican drug cartels who have ready access to ephedrine which is not regulated in Mexico.  In the early 1980’s, illicit meth production in California became a significant enough problem that law enforcement resources were allocated to specifically address meth.  The Drug Precursor Act and the Clandestine Drug Lab Act were both passed in 1992 to regulate precursor chemicals used to manufacture meth.  In 1998, Utah passed House Bill 130 (controlled substances precursor amendments) which added crystal iodine as a precursor and limited possession to 2 ounces.  This amendment also limited the possession  of ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine to 12 grams.    

     Methamphetamine is a controlled substance that is illegal to possess, manufacture, or sell under Utah and Federal Law.  Meth is very inexpensive to make but is highly addictive.  Currently in Utah the price of meth is $10,000.00 to $12,000.00 per pound.  Due to additional laws restricting access to precursor chemicals in Utah, the average purity of meth dropped from 43% in 1997 to less than 27% in FY 1999.

     Meth is cheaper than cocaine and because it is resistant to metabolism, the high lasts longer.  Meth use can result in a 8 to 24 hour high and 50% remains in the user’s body 12 hours after consumption.  Tolerance to meth develops quickly and therefore users are likely to indulge in a “binge-and-crash” pattern in an attempt to maintain the original high.

     Long term and heavy use of meth is often associated with addiction and tendencies toward violence.  Abusers often experience delusions, anxiety, confusion, extreme paranoia, drastic mood swings, weight loss, homicidal and suicidal thoughts, and visual and auditory hallucinations.  Prolonged use may lead to brain damage or death. 

        A number of high volatile chemicals are used during the production of meth that pose a potential risk for contamination, fire, and explosion (Phosphine Gas, Hydriodic Acids, Red phosphorous).  Clan labs are ordinarily accompanied by firearms, booby traps, and heightened surveillance 

     Meth is often manufactured residentially and includes families with minors and small children.  Parents using meth often neglect children and their cycle of abuse causes a loss of the ability to respond to the child’s needs for food, shelter, sleep, medical attention, and supervision from harm.  Popular laboratory sites (meth labs) continue to be motel rooms, storage sheds, motor homes, mobile homes, and single family dwellings.  Most meth labs are small and easily transported in vehicles from site to site leaving toxic residue and chemical waste behind.  The average cost for law enforcement to process one meth lab is between $3,000.00 to $5,000.00.

     Meth offenses have been multiplying over the past few years.  Nationwide DEA seizures of meth labs rose 640% in the last five years.  

     Helper City residents can assist our agency by reporting irregular smells of “cat urine.”  Strange tubing or hoses exiting trailers or homes that are not normal, Persons possessing irregular chemical glassware, and high amounts of quick (in and out) traffic at certain locations.  If you have information, please fill out the confidential form above and mail into our department.  We can fight this battle together.

     For Pictures of Methamphetamine Labs and other items located in Helper City and the Carbon County area, click on the picture link below