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METH - A.K.A SPEED, CHALK, ICE, CRYSTAL, GLASS, CRANK, YABA, FIRE, TINA, & TWEAK

This information is now shared on our specialty website www.TheMethInspector.com
What Is Meth?
Utah Governor’s Message
Who Is Effected?
Inspecting For Meth
Meth - How Toxic Is Toxic - Deseret News Article - 2/07
Utah County Health Dept. Approved Clean-up Firm List
Helpful Meth Info Links
PLEASE NOTE: The information shared on this page about meth is laid out in brown text and has been provided as a public service by www.endmethnow.org.
WHAT IS METH?

Meth is a viciously addictive synthetic stimulant that affects the pleasure centers of the brain. In Utah, the most likely users of meth are childbearing-age women. Meth is popular with younger age groups, with the majority of users under the age of 35. Over 50 percent of all meth users begin between the ages of 12 and 19.

Meth was developed early last century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and has been used legitimately for treatments such as nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Amphetamine (meth's parent drug) was widely distributed to army personnel during World War II. Amphetamine-laced chocolate was routinely given to German soldiers, and it is reported that from 1942 to 1945, Adolf Hitler received daily meth injections to treat depression and fatigue. Some attribute his Parkinson's-like symptoms to use of this drug. Today, meth is legally available only by prescription, with very limited medical applications for treatment of ailments such as narcolepsy (a sleep disorder), attention deficit disorders, and obesity. Many medical authorities have largely discontinued use of meth for therapeutic purposes.

Governor Huntsman

Truckers have used the drug for long-haul routes, to keep from falling asleep. People have used it for weight control, mild depression or as a study aid. Athletes have used it to perform better and train longer. Current forms of meth, made with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, are far more potent than earlier versions of the drug. It is even stronger than crack cocaine, and considered more addictive than heroin. Today, outside of a doctor's prescription, meth is considered a controlled substance that is illegal to possess, manufacture or sell under Utah and Federal law.

In addition to "meth," the drug is also known by dozens of nicknames, including "speed," "chalk," "ice," "crystal," "glass," "crank," "yaba," "fire," "tina," and "tweak."

UTAH GOVERNOR’S MESSAGE

Citizens of Utah:

Governor Huntsman

Methamphetamine use among Utah women continues to cause a tremendous strain on our communities, the criminal justice system, human and public health services, and most important, our families. Throughout the past few years I have spent many hours meeting with young women and mothers addicted to methamphetamine and their loved ones, all of whom have one common request: To recover from this horrible addiction.

As Governor, I take this request very seriously and with the assistance of the Utah Association of Counties and Utah Methamphetamine Joint Task Force, we created a public awareness campaign with a simple, yet necessary theme - hope and recovery.

Because of your commitment to improving the lives of all Utah citizens, especially those battling with addiction, I invite you to introduce and embrace this campaign in your community.

It is my honor to share this incredible campaign with you and the tremendous people of our great state. I look forward to your participation and support as we collectively work toward hope and recovery statewide.

Sincerely, Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. - Governor

WHO IS AFFECTED?

Who is Affected by Meth?

Utah is one of the national leaders per capita in meth production and use. It is the number one drug of choice for all Utahans admitted to public substance abuse treatment programs, increasing from 8.1 percent in 1995 to nearly 28 percent of all admissions in 2006. Meth use and addiction cuts across lines of social status, income level, employment and gender - and places increasing stress on the normal function of Utah life.

Meth's Impacts on Women

Women comprise 64 percent of individuals who have used meth in the past 12 months. Of the women in treatment in Utah, nearly three-quarters of them are mothers, and just over seven percent are pregnant at the time of admission. Meth use can lead to loss of employment, possessions, appearance, family, friends, and children and even lead to the user's eventual death.

Meth's Impacts on Children

Since women tend to be the primary caregiver in the home, a mother using meth directly impacts the child. Meth use often leads to child neglect that requires the state to remove the child from the home and place the child in foster care. In 2005, 1,801 children were placed in foster care because their mothers had substance abuse treatment issues, which cost the state nearly $60 million. Hidden emotional and mental cost to those children is unknown.

Meth and Crime

51.4 percent of all treatment admissions for meth have been referred by the courts/criminal justice system. Last year, more than 40 percent of Drug Court participants reported meth as their primary drug of choice. Clients with arrest histories entering treatment had an average of three arrests in the six months before treatment began. During treatment, arrests dropped to 0.6 arrests per client.

Meth's Cost to Utah Taxpayers

The use of social services greatly impacts taxpayers of Utah. When meth is involved, state and county entities are forced to reallocate funds from other services they provide in order to handle the meth issue. Expenditures include costs for law enforcement who deal with crimes associated with meth; court systems that must determine action or punishment for the crime; and the costs of the correctional facility. Additionally, meth contributes significantly to more than $12 million of uncompensated emergency room costs and more than $33 million of uncompensated patient admission costs.

In Salt Lake County, family treatment costs $15,000 a year, whereas jail costs $25,700, plus an additional $33,000 to house each child in foster care. State-sponsored, methamphetamine-related foster care cost the state approximately $33 million in 2006.

INSPECTING FOR METH

Inspecting for Meth is tricky because none of the key players want it found. Renters risk jail time if evidence is found. Sellers risk a huge drop in property value if evidence is found. Agents watch their deals slip through their fingers when meth is identified. Neighbors in multi-family dwellings are scared to death that they may have been affected by meth use in the subject property. And with all the major players who are fearful about knowing if meth was used, my clients want to know immediately.

CLEAN-UP - I am often brought in when a property is either selling or when an owner is suspicious of his tenants unusual activity. When it is announced that I am arriving and testing for meth, major clean-up ensues before my arrival. This makes it more difficult to identify meth use, whether from cooking-up the drug or regular use. This type of concealment usually includes washing the walls and carpets, cleaning up both trash and debris, and getting everything associated with meth use off the property while I am there inspecting. Unless professionals have been brought in to clean-up, there are usually always evidences left behind.

TESTING - There are inexpensive cursory tests that will identify the active ingredient, but these are not conclusive and they can alarm the interested parties when really there is no cause for fear. We recommend having Michael Leavitt & Co Inspections, Inc. take interior samples and have them evaluated by a professional laboratory that is trained to evaluate the samples. This is usually a 3 to 5 day process and runs between $285 to $635 or more, depending on the number of samples taken. Rush orders can provide quicker results, but this can add $100 to $200 to the fee.

TESTING PRIVACY - We take every precaution to ensure privacy regarding the testing and results for meth. As investigators and sample procurers, we do not report findings to legal entities. We ensure that the samples are drawn using modern protocols and then maintain the chain of custody as the samples are turned over to the lab. The results of the test can then either be sent back to us, or they can be sent directly to our clients.

WHO SHOULD HAVE TESTING PERFORMED - We recommend the service to all landlords to ensure that their units are not being abused by the tenants. We also recommend the service to any husband or wife that suspects their spouse, mothers and fathers who suspect their kids, employers who suspect meth use on their premises. And most of all, we recommend meth testing to all property buyers who need the peace of mind about their desired purchase property.

ORDER YOUR METH INSPECTION TODAY!

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