The Danger of Methamphetamines

Methamphetamine (meth) is a widespread drug trend in America. It is cheap, long-lasting, and can be "cooked" at home using common household ingredients that can be purchased at the grocery store. Recent changes in the law have tried to combat this by making some materials, such as limiting pseudoephedrine availability. Methamphetamine (meth) is a widespread drug trend in America. It is cheap, long-lasting, and can be "cooked" at home using common household ingredients that can be purchased at the grocery store. Recent changes in the law have tried to combat this by limiting the availability of some materials, such as pseudoephedrine.

What are some of the dangers that the community faces with meth? There are lab explosions, the toxic mess left behind (for each pound of meth, five to seven pounds of toxic waste are left behind), and an increase in violent crime, among others. In addition there are the ruined buildings where the meth was cooked. Even spending a few minutes inside a meth lab can have lasting health effects, some of which haven't even been discovered yet. Many municipalities don't have the resources to deal with these issues.

Typical Equipment Used to Make Meth

Watch for a high quantity of these items in combination:

Pyrex or Corning dishes (glass), jugs/bottles, paper towels, coffee filters, thermometers, cheesecloth, funnels, blenders, rubber tubing/gloves, pails/buckets, gas cans, tape/clamps, Internet documents and notes, "how to" books, aluminum foil, propane cylinders (usually Coleman cylinders), hotplates, plastic storage containers/ice chests, measuring cups, towels/bed sheets, and laboratory beakers/glassware.

Common Chemicals Used to Make Meth

What are the common ingredients used to "cook" meth at home? Here are some items to watch for:

Rubbing alcohol, toluene (paint thinner), ether, sulfuric acid (Drano), red phosphorus (matches/road flares), salt (table/rock), iodine, lithium (batteries), trichloroethane (gun scrubber), MSM (cutting agent), sodium metal, methanol/alcohol (gasoline additives) muriatic acid, anhydrous ammonia (farm fertilizer), sodium hydroxide (Red Devil lye), pseudoephedrine (cold tablets), ephedrine (cold tablets), acetone, camp stove fuel, "Heet" and cat litter.

What to Look For

How can you know if a house you are visiting is potentially a meth lab? Here are some things to look for:

• A large amount of cold tablet containers
• Jars containing clear liquid with white or red colored solid on the bottom
• Jars labeled as containing iodine or dark shiny metallic purple crystals inside
• Jars labeled as containing red phosphorus or a fine dark red or purple powder
• Coffee filters containing a white pasty substance, a dark red sludge, or small shiny white crystals
• Bottles labeled as containing sulfuric, muriatic, or hydrochloric acid
• Bottles or jars with rubber tubing attached
• Glass cookware or frying pans containing a powdery residue
• Large amounts of lithium batteries, especially ones that have been stripped
• Soft silver or gray metallic ribbon (in chunk form) stored in oil or kerosene
• Large number of cans of camp fuel, paint thinner, acetone, lye and drain cleaners
• Propane tanks with fittings that have turned blue
• Occupants of residence going outside to smoke
• Strong smell of urine, or unusual chemical smells like ether, ammonia or acetone

Possible Health Effects

There are several health-related concerns for someone who enters a home where meth has been made. The most common include breathing problems, skin and eye irritations, headaches, nausea and dizziness. Even for short-term exposures, severe health problems such as lung damage and burns can occur.

While meth isn't exactly new to the drug scene, there is little evidence out there as to what long term effects can be expected. A home would have to be tested, contaminants used would need to be identified, their quantities measured, and then each could be looked at individually to determine the possible long term effects of exposure. Because it is difficult to know some of the potential effects, if you feel you may have identified a potential meth lab, you should not handle any items yourself. Law enforcement should be contacted before any further action is taken.

Educational Information

The Department of Justice has created a model methamphetamine educational presentation
that is available to the public to be used by law enforcement, community groups and local leaders in addressing meth use in their communities. The educational presentation is posted on the DOJ's new meth awareness Internet site: www.usdoj.gov/methawareness (look under Meth 101). Please visit the site and download the presentation for future use in your community.

National Institute on Drug Abuse

Best of the Web - Amphetamines

Wyoming Information and Materials

www.methkillswyoming.org 
wdh.state.wy.us/mhsa/meth/

 
 

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