A day before the start of a Nov. 30 national campaign to curb methamphetamine use, Attorney General Terry Goddard pledged to continue to prosecute smugglers, users and “cooks” of the powerfully addictive and toxic stimulant.
“Meth remains the number one crime problem in our state,” he said, promising cooperation with other government agencies and anti-meth coalitions in Arizona.
Mr. Goddard said the number of meth labs in the state has declined, but the problem still exists. The drug is still produced in Arizona and a large amount of it is being smuggled into the states via Mexico.
Meth is processed from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, common ingredients in cold medications. Harsh chemicals like battery acid, anhydrous ammonia, drain cleaner and lithium taken from batteries are used to distill the drug. Meth labs have been found in private residencies, hotel rooms, rural areas and even automobiles, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
President Bush declared Nov. 30 National Methamphetamine Awareness Day, and the proclamation kicks off a national drive by the Department of Justice to combat the stimulant that can be smoked, inhaled or injected.
Mr. Bush said his administration is seeking a 15 percent decrease in meth use and a 25 percent reduction in domestic meth labs over the next three years. A proposed 2007 budget will contain $25 million for meth treatment programs.
The effects of the drug on the human body and psyche can be disastrous. The Justice Department reports users may experience irritability, paranoia and hallucinations that can lead to homicidal and suicidal impulses.
It is also typical for users to experience severe tooth decay known as “meth mouth,” and skin sores and lesions can erupt from users picking at themselves when they experience the sensations of bugs crawling under or on their skin.
Mr. Goddard said he will again seek legislative measures to require medicines containing methamphetamine precursor chemicals be placed behind pharmacy counters and require purchasers to show identification and sign log books.
Similar legislation was proposed each of the past two years by Rep. Tom O’Halleran, R-1, but the bills did not receive legislative approval. However, 46 cities and towns in Arizona have passed their own precursor restrictions, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
In 2003, 38 percent of males and 42 percent of females booked into Maricopa County jails tested positive for meth. Prenatal exposure to the toxic drug also increases by six-fold the risks of birth defects such as intestinal abnormalities and skeletal deformations, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Law enforcement and health officials also attribute meth to child neglect, mail and identity theft and a rapid increase of meth-related hospital admissions.
In 2005, the Legislature passed a law that strengthened punishments for making methamphetamine in the presence of children.