LIFE OR METH: A CLOSER LOOK AT METH

Methamphetamine.

Just five years ago, there were few meth cases in the region. Cocaine and marijuana were the drugs of choice.

Today meth abuse has reached epidemic proportions in Missouri. The state is second only to California in production and use.

Southeast Missouri is particularly hard hit. Members of the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force are so busy busting clandestine meth labs that it leaves little time for other drug investigations.

And there's no end in sight.

For the past six weeks, the Southeast Missourian news staff has investigated the methamphetamine crisis gripping the region. Reporters have interviewed more than 100 sources from Missouri and across the nation.

A special report, "Life or Meth," will be published eight consecutive days beginning next Sunday. It represents the most in-depth investigations ever undertaken by the newspaper.

On Sept. 3, the newspaper will culminate the series with a free community forum on recognizing meth. Law enforcement and crime lab experts will provide practical tips on recognizing meth use among friends and family and uncovering neighborhood labs. Business people will also learn about common over-the-counter products that are bought or stolen to manufacture the drug.

Southeast Missouri State University will co-sponsor the forum. It will begin at 7 p.m. in Dempster Hall on the campus.

The paper's daily special pages such as business, learning, food and others will be suspended for the eight days to allow additional space for stories, graphics and photographs.

The "Life or Meth" series will be repackaged and reprinted in the YELL edition Sept. 15. Copies also will be available for schools and community organizations.

The meth problem is far-reaching. While much of the drug is manufactured locally in mom-and-pop labs, the imported meth comes from California and Mexico. The series examines the Barstow, Calif., connection.

In addition, the history of the meth explosion will be explored. Some think it dates back to Southeast Missouri motorcycle gangs in the 1980s. Today, the recipe is available on the Internet.

Meth production is more than a criminal worry. The labs themselves leave behind five or six pounds of toxic waste. Many labs are discovered by fire or explosion. The cost of cleanup is exorbitant and climbing.

Heightened enforcement has put cookers on the move. Some labs -- with gallons of flammable chemicals -- are found in car trunks or motel rooms. Often, leftover chemicals are simply poured down the drain or dumped in creeks.

How do you recognize a meth lab? Follow your nose, say authorities.

Local businesses are limiting purchases of cold pills and other common supplies. Farmers are battling the theft of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer -- the only ingredient not bought off the shelf.

Addicts tell stories of agony. Meth is one of the most addictive drugs. The longer-lasting high brings devastating side effects: paranoia that resembles schizophrenia, malnutrition, days without sleep, constant itching, extreme fever. The habit is difficult to break. Many users become manufacturers or turn to other crime to feed the need.

Missouri has passed a tough new meth law. It takes effect later this month. Did the law go far enough?

The series also looks at local courts and how meth users and manufacturers are treated. Do they receive jail time or treatment? If users go through the federal system, they could receive five to 10 years minimum on the first possession charge.

Methamphetamine also affects children. Meth use among high school seniors has more than doubled from 1990 to 1996. Authorities have found Missouri grade-schoolers in possession of the drug.

Meth also impacts families. The paranoia often fuels abuse and neglect. Addicts often choose the drug over family or job.

More than 50 percent of Missouri prisoners are jailed for a crime related to drugs. The need for meth has fueled many other crimes such as burglary or robbery. Smaller police and sheriff departments throughout the region are struggling with the increased drug caseload. Neighboring states are feeling the pinch as meth labs move across state lines.

Can Missouri win the war on meth?

Law enforcement is working hard to reduce the supply, but everyone can help to curb the demand. People can fight back with hot line calls and Crime Stopper tips.

The aim of the "Life or Meth" series is to educate and empower community involvement. The battlefields are neighborhoods, schools, businesses and farm fields, and the war rages right here in Southeast Missouri.