Fighting Meth, a Community at a Time

The number one problem the Gulf County Sherriff's Office combats is not theft. It is not automobile- nor alcohol-related.

The number one problem faced by the county is – methamphetamine or as it is commonly known, meth.

The county has become home to more meth labs in the last nine months than the Sheriff's Office has seen in five years and for every one meth lab found, statistics show that ten have been missed.

"Meth doesn't care if you are rich, poor, black or white, it effects everyone and has become the worst problem we have right now," said Sheriff Joe Nugent.

In order to combat the growing problem, the GCSO has begun conducting community meetings in both the northern and southern part of the county to inform people of the dangers of meth and ways to make sure this drug does not infiltrate any further into our communities.

Those meetings are spearheaded by Chris Buchanan, Information Service Deputy,

"The problem started in the northern part and is making its way down to Port St. Joe," said Buchanan. "Unfortunately it has touched a lot of people's lives."

Contrary to popular belief, meth did not just evolve in the last decade; it has been around since 1837.

The use of methamphetamines did not become illegal until 1970 and prior to that was being prescribed by the government for not only narcolepsy, but also to keep soldiers fighting in wars.

The most frightening statistic Buchanan said is the addictive nature of the drug.

Most abusers can get hooked after just one use and with that initial feeling of euphoria, comes a loss of the ability to experience pleasure because the drug penetrates levels of dopamine in the brain which is commonly associated with providing feelings of enjoyment and motivation to perform activities.

According to a study conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) success rate for rehabilitation is extremely low and nearly 93 percent of those return to use following rehab.

Long-term effects include skin abscesses, stroke, violent behavior, acute lead poisoning and damage to the brain.

"I have personally seen people in the county lose everything because of this drug," said Nugent. "People that once had a career, a home, a family have been reduced to nothing."

Investigator Greg Skipper attributes the rise in meth use in Gulf County to a newly discovered method in making the drug. The so-called "shake and bake" method replaces the need for the larger, typical meth labs.

"They have progressed to a more compact method of producing the drug," said Skipper. "No longer does it take all day to make enough to use or sell. We have found that people using this method can make enough to sell in less than 45 minutes."

Not only have the effects of meth proven to be detrimental to the health of the user as well as those who come in contact with the lethal ingredients, directly or indirectly through toxic fumes, disposal of the hazardous material is costly for the entire community.

According to the DEA, even a plastic bottle lined with residue found on the side of the road will cost upwards of $3,500 for removal of the hazardous material and that payment comes directly from the taxpayers.

Although ingredients may not be harmful when thrown away separately, when combined, they become hazardous enough to cause explosions and fires.

During a community meeting last week in Port St. Joe, Skipper showed examples of ingredients commonly used to manufacture the drug.

While many other illegal drugs are derived from plants naturally growing in the environment, the production of meth is developed from chemicals and items commonly found in a household such as cold tablets and kitty litter.

The aim of the community meetings is to make the public aware that this is happening in the county and to promote better ways to combat it. The GCSO would like to see the program become a fixture in the school system, however, the department wants to proceed with a sense of caution.

"There is just such a fine line between educating teens and invoking enough curiosity to try it," said Buchanan.

The GCSO urges anyone with a friend or family member using methamphetamine to seek help.

Although there is no known pharmacological treatment for meth, the most effective treatment has been found to be cognitive behavioral therapy which is based on therapy surrounding personal feelings, thoughts and behaviors.