RETAILERS TO KEEP EYE OUT FOR COOKERSEfforts are now underway to begin phase twoof the Michigan Methamphetamine PublicAwareness and Education Campaign. Entitled“Michigan Meth Watch,” Michigan retailersand their employees will be asked to serve asthe front line of defense for deterring the purchase and theft of the precursors used tocook methamphetamine. The campaign isbeing largely funded by the Michigan Office ofDrug Control Policy.

Michigan Meth Watch is designed to limit easyaccess to methamphetamine precursors onstore shelves, prevent theft and large purchases of products containing pseudoephedrine (a main ingredient used in

the meth cooking process) and to protectMichigan retailers and employees from unwillingly becoming a “community supplier”in a drug manufacturing pipeline.

Sadly, many Michigan children are forced to live in dangerous drug environments, includingmethamphetamine. Authorities arenow combining their resources andconcentrating their efforts to protectthese endangered children who are becoming exposed to serious physical, health and emotional harm.

In a training session sponsored bythe Office of Drug Control Policy,Michigan Department of CommunityHealth, Michigan High IntensityDrug Trafficking Area and theMichigan State Police, representativesfrom law enforcement, child welfare,substance abuse prevention andtreatment, schools, the medical professions and the court systemreceived information on how to develop protocol for protectingdrug–endangered children; especiallythose exposed to methamphetamine.

Children in a methamphetamine environment are especially at riskbecause they are living in a highlyhazardous environment prone toexplosions, fires, and toxic chemicalcontamination. These same childrenalso may encounter serious healthrisks that may range from cancer,burns, sores, neurological damage,asthma, lung damage and other medical conditions due to nutritionand hygiene neglect.

R e p o r t s s h o w t h a t methamphetamine–endangered children can also experience a higherdegree of mental, physical and sexual

abuse. They are exposed to an environment of guns, violence andhighly dangerous and undesirablecookers, users and abusers.

Currently, authorities are looking atthe Drug Endangered Children (DEC)training and educational program.The DEC protocol combines lawenforcement, social services, medicalpersonnel and prosecutors in a multijurisdictional approach to stopthis form of abuse. DEC training andprotocol places the importance ofproviding for the immediate healthand safety of children at a drug scene,followed by the preservation of childabuse crime scene evidence, and then aggressive prosecution of theabusing parents. DEC places a highemphasis on sharing case and investigation information, childinterviewing techniques, and casecoordination designed to safelyremove and provide treatment to methamphetamine–endangeredchildren.

CHILDREN FOUND AT EXTREME RISK

The Office of Drug Control Policy,

Michigan Department of Community

Health, has received a 3-year

federal grant for methamphetamine

prevention in Michigan. The grant,

awarded by the U.S. Dept. of Health

and Human Services, Substance Abuse

and Mental Health Services

Administration, will provide funding for

regional prevention infrastructure and

programming in Allegan, Barry, Branch,

Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Clinton, Eaton,

Gratiot, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson,

Kent, Kalamazoo, Lenawee, Muskegon,

Ottawa, St. Joseph and Van Buren

Counties. In addition, various trainings

on methamphetamine will be

provided for prevention professionals

statewide.

The Michigan Meth Watch Program will supplyMichigan retailers and pharmacies with window decals, shelf stickers, cash registerstickers and other public awareness piecesannouncing they are participating in theMichigan Meth Watch Program. In addition,employees will be trained on what suspiciousbehavior and purchases to look for.

Retailers wishing additional Meth Watchinformation should email the Office of DrugControl Policy, MiMethWatch@michigan.gov,o r v i s i t t h e O D C P w eb s i t e ,www.michigan.gov/meth.

FUNDING FOR PREVENTION

Number of children found exposed to toxic chemicals

during meth lab-related incidents in the United States in 2003

1,231

Drug Enforcement Administration, El Paso Intelligence Center

UNLIKE MOST STREET DRUGS, THE EFFECTS OFMETHAMPHETAMINE REACH DEEPER INTO THE COMMUNITY, WITH GREATER IMPACT.

Never has Michigan been faced with amore deadly and dangerous drug, withsuch far-reaching impact on the community,than methamphetamine. From issues ofpersonal danger, health, environment,safety, prosecution, treatment and recovery,methamphetamine touches everyone inthe community.

Unlike most illegal drugs that are importedinto a community, methamphetamine iseasily manufactured (cooked) using common household chemicals and ingredients found in local retail stores.Cooking operations are makeshift,clandestine labs and can pop up anywherein the community.

The safety of first responders; the healthand safety of children; the contaminationof property, furnishings, soils, groundwater and drinking water; the demandsplaced on community prevention,treatment, health and judicial systemsand the devastating and self destructivehabits of methamphetamine cookers andabusers are challenges that communitiesacross Michigan must face.

AgriculturalAs a member of Michigan’s agricultural community, you have whatthe methamphetamine cookers need–anhydrous ammonia. Anhydrousammonia is a key ingredient used in themanufacturing of methamphetamine andis stolen from field tanks and distributionoutlets. Cookers are known to steal smallquantities of anhydrous ammonia usingplastic gas cans, propane grill tanks, orother crude and elementary containers.They have even stolen complete fieldtanks!

As a farmer or fertilizer dealer you areencouraged to keep tanks locked and in awell-lit and secure area. Look for acts oftampering including loose values, leaks,discarded buckets, coolers, duct tape,garden hoses and bicycle inner tubes.

RetailEverything cookers need to producemethamphetamine can be found in mostretail, pharmacy, or hardware stores.

Michigan retailers serve as a first line ofdefense by removing easy shelf access toproducts like those containing pseudoephedrine; provide heightened security measures to prevent the theft ofprecursors; and limiting the sale of unusualamounts and repeat purchases of precursors.In addition, employees should be trainedon how to report suspicious purchases.Not every purchase of lithium batteries,drain cleaner, acetone, sulfuric acid, paint

Report Meth Activities 1-866-METH-TIP

METHAMPHETAMINE

I n d i v i d u a l s w h o a b u s emethamphetamine are known as“tweakers.” They are highly unpredictable and can becomeextremely violent.

What should you do if youencounter someone who is tweaking?

• Talk slowly, clearly & continuously in a non-threatening manner

• Stand-still at first face-to-face contact

• Keep a distance of 7 to 10 feet

• Keep your hands in front of you (any movement can beinterpreted as a sign of aggression)

• Slowly walk while backing out,maintaining eye contact until you are safely away from harm

If encountering a tweaker it is bestto back off and immediately call theauthorities.

TWEAKERS CANBE VIOLENT

WARNING

thinner, starter fluid, camping fuel, ortoluene, to name a few precursors,implicates a meth cooker. However,unusually large and repeated purchases ofthese products do—especially ones with pseudoephedrine.

First RespondersStumbling across a methamphetamine labcan spell instant health and safety dangerfor any first responder. Law enforcementofficers, fire fighters and paramedics canbe immediately exposed to serious healthproblems including chemical burns,collapsed lungs and other serious injuriesresulting from chemical explosions, firesand toxic exposure—all common dangersassociated with methamphetamine cooking sites.

Social WorkersChild welfare, probation officers and community health workers can also findthemselves on the front lines of themethamphetamine problem. Just likefirst responders, social workers are also atrisk from accidentally encountering a

methamphetamine scene. Aside from protecting themselves from personal safety and health dangers, social workerscan also protect the community from thedangerous effects of methamphetamine.Providing a valuable role in protecting thecommunity, especially children exposed tomethamphetamine, social workers shouldlook for and immediately report any suspicious activities that signal methamphetamine cooking or use,especially when children are involved.

Municipal and Utility WorkersWho gets into more backyards, basements,or buildings in the community? Meter

readers, code inspectors, postal, deliverypersonnel and utility workers. Becauseclandestine meth labs can show up in anyhouse, garage, out building, trailer, car orvan—in rural or urban settings—communi-ty workers are at risk of becomingexposed to the same methamphetaminedangers as first responders and socialworkers. Municipal workers should be onthe lookout for boarded structures, roomsor windows; ventilation hoses and fans;strong/strange odors; suspicious chemicals laying around; and trash containing coffee filters, lithium batteries,acetone containers, or empty cold tabletpackages once containing pseudoephedrine,or iodine and lye packages.

Home and Rental PropertyOwners and OperatorsBuying property or owning rental propertyin Michigan is a major investment.Having that property associated withmethamphetamine activities can renderthe property useless, with owners payingto have a toxic waste site cleaned up! Themethamphetamine cooking process produces highly toxic waste that quicklycontaminates houses, structures,furnishings, ground water and soils. Inaddition, the atmosphere surrounding amethamphetamine cooking operation ishighly explosive, subject to chemicalexplosions and fires. Owners and propertymanagers should look for boarded uprooms or windows; ventilation hoses orfans; strong/strange odors; numerous gascans, propane grill tanks, tubing, glassjars and coolers; unusual traffic at allhours of the day and night; and excesstrash containing coffee filters, batteries,acetone containers, empty cold tabletpackages once containing pseudoephedrine,or iodine and lye packages.

Mobile Home Park Owners and ManagersJust the close proximity of mobile homesin a park can spell disaster when a clandestine methamphetamine lab exists.Dangerous fumes, explosions, fires andtoxic contamination puts everyone livingnearby in serious jeopardy. But this sameclose proximity can safeguard a mobilehome community from the devastatingeffects of methamphetamine becausedetection should be easy.

Hotel/Motel Owners and OperatorsThe personal safety of guests, costly clean-up of contaminated rooms and furnishings and loss due to explosionsand fires mandates that all Michiganmotel and hotel owners and operatorstrain employees on spotting and reportingmethamphetamine activities. And don’tbe fooled, meth labs don’t distinguishbetween chain-owned inns or Mom andPop operations. Meth labs can pop up anytime an opportunity exists, and theresults are disastrous. Employees shouldlook for guests checking in with boxes ofhardware components instead of luggage;guests carrying in propane grill tanks, gascans, tubing, glass jars and coolers; guestsreluctant to have housekeeping enter;unusual traffic; and discarded trash containing coffee filters, lithium batteries,acetone containers, empty cold tabletpackages once containing pseudoephedrine,or iodine and lye packages.

More information located at www.michigan.gov/meth

AFFECTS EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY

Meth has the lowest recovery rate

of all addictive drugs.

6 %