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Meth mess: A WAFF 48 News special report

By Elizabeth Gentle - bio | email

HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) - Methamphetamine is a growing problem.

Meth related emergency room visits are up, and to make matters worse, as quickly as new laws take effect, meth makers and suppliers find ways around them.

Methamphetamine is an addictive, toxic drug, but where did it originate and how did it become so prevalent?

Meth's roots date back to Germany in 1887. By early twentieth century, it was produced in Japan to increase alertness for tank drivers.

By the 1950's, meth was distributed as a weight loss product.

Cooks discovered the potent crystal form by the 1980's using ephedrine, an ingredient found in over-the-counter cold remedies.

From there the use of meth exploded and has quickly become a dangerous business.

"Once they get involved and actually take the meth, they don't care about anything else. They steal and do whatever else it takes to get more," said New Hope Police Chief Richard Foster.

Foster has been chief of New Hope police for less than two months.

His department, with help from STAC agents and Madison County deputies, have seized more than two dozen lethal meth labs, including one two weeks ago.

The suspect in a Jeep Cherokee was found in possession of supplies used to make methamphetamine. He put up a fight when agents tried to handcuff him. 

"(He) tried to break my arm and everything else," said Foster.

Drug agents said they found plenty of evidence to make an arrest.

The suspect had plastic bags stuffed with products to cook meth, bottles of pills, a box of Sundae, and a receipt.

Its likely, according to Foster, that the pre-cursor ingredients were bought at different pharmacies.

He said it's not easy to track how many drug counters meth makers hit in a day.

"It's too hard for a law enforcement agency to go from business to business because we have so many around here to actually run down individuals," said Foster.

Morgan County's drug task force faces the same issues when it comes to squashing the manufacturing and distribution of meth.

"In the last two years, we've had about 125 meth labs," said Morgan County Sheriff Greg Bartlett.

Laws were passed in 2005 that all non-prescription cold tablets which have ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient be put behind the counter or locked in display cabinets at pharmacies.

Purchasers are limited to how much they can buy.

They must sign and show identification, but suspicious sales aren't always reported to police.

Sheriff Bartlett said more needs to be done.

"It's a system where you can type in a name and they can see how many times you've bought pseudoephedrine," said Bartlett.

But even as laws change, meth makers and suppliers find a way around them.

The internet is full of sites selling Sudafed and ephedrine on-line with no limits on quantities.

"It's easy to buy just about anything now. Canada, Mexico, you can have it sent in. They have arrangements to interface with so-called doctors application and they will send you whatever you need. Its being done now as we speak,"said Bartlett.

Is there anything that can be done to stop this web based drug trafficking, or at the very least better track buyers every move?

Phil Williams represents the 6th district of North Alabama. He said it's going to take the right technology.

"I think that should go into a database and then if you buy it should be cross-referenced with the other ingredient using to cook this up," said Williams.

The problem, according to Williams, is money.

Without state funding, stopping meth makers in their tracks is virtually impossible.

Williams said it's something he's working to correct.

Meantime, Williams said two local companies are looking to launch a meth detector that can pick up ingredients indicative of meth to protect firefighters and police officers entering a potentially dangerous situation.

In addition, Representative Mickie Hammond is introducing legislation at the next session that will require the main ingredient in meth, pseudoephedrine, to become a prescription drug in Alabama.

He said it's worked in other states to cut meth labs in half.

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