Meth Declines, but Flavors May Entice Children

Apr 01, 04:03 AM

Current Headlines: By Josh Brodesky, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

Apr. 1--In its time, methamphetamine has gone by a number of names. Ice and glass because of its appearance. Speed because of the fast-paced, jittery high it brings. And now, strawberry, for its newest flavor.

Flavored meth, especially a variety known as "Strawberry Quick," has been popping up across the country, particularly in Western states.

Strawberry has been reported in California, Washington and Nevada, among other states, along with chocolate, cola and caramel flavors. Meth flavors haven't appeared in Arizona, but the conventional wisdom among law enforcement is that they will in time, and they are designed appeal to a broader, younger clientele.

"They are marketing it to younger people," said Capt. David Neri, commander of the Counter Narcotics Alliance here. "We do expect to see it since it is already documented all over the region, and we are still trying to establish its origins."

Methamphetamine is made from pseudoephedrine and a number of common chemicals such as lye and battery acid. It can be ingested through smoking, snorting and injection.

"They start offering flavored stuff to make it easier for the distributing organizations," said Richard Wintory, a deputy Pima County attorney who handles methamphetamine prosecutions. "They are interested in marketing products."

Still, Wintory was skeptical that flavored meth would increase use levels across the state, let alone in Southern Arizona.

"There is such a tendency for us to worry about the next great crisis," he said.

While much has been made of the meth epidemic, first-time meth users age 12 and older declined from 318,000 in 2004 to 192,000 in 2005, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Moreover, the use of meth among teenagers has been declining since 2000, according to the U.S. National Drug Intelligence Center. For example, the center reports that in 2000, 4.3 percent of 12th-graders used meth. In 2005, about 2.5 percent of 12th-graders used meth.

Whatever the origins of flavored meth may be, Neri and others in law enforcement characterized the new flavors as essentially a countermarketing tool to a number of community anti-meth campaigns, like the one done locally by the Meth Free Alliance, that highlight the horrors of the drug.

"They are trying to make it more attractive," he said.

Decline in Arizona meth seizures:

--2004: 2,445.71 pounds

--2005: 1,399.66 pounds

--2006: 1,031.85 pounds

Source: Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Center. They are for the calendar year.

Decline in Arizona meth lab seizures:

--2000: 376

--2001: 326

--2002: 297

--2003: 179

--2004: 134

--2005: 84

--2006: 44

Source: Drug Enforcement Administration Phoenix Field Office. These statistics include labs, dump sites and loose chemical seizures. They are for the calendar year.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant that creates a sense of euphoria, heightened alertness and energy. It can be snorted, swallowed, smoked or injected.

A main ingredient is pseudoephedrine -- an ingredient found in many over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, which may be combined with extracts from a number of common household products, including lye, drain cleaner and paint thinner.

More information about meth prevention, is at: www.meth-free-alliance.org.

The majority of the meth in the United States is produced in labs run by Mexican cartels, according to a November report from the U.S. National Drug Intelligence Center.

Capt. David Neri, commander of the Counter Narcotics Alliance, said laws passed by states and municipalities like Tucson that restrict the sale of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine have shifted meth production from the U.S. to Mexico.

This production shift has essentially exchanged one set of problems for another.

Meth labs, because of the chemicals used, pose extreme health risks and tend to be magnets for other types of crime besides drug use.

Since the sale of pseudoephedrine became restricted in Tucson, the number of lab busts in the greater Tucson area has dropped significantly, Neri said. However, because production has been maintained by cartels, the purity of meth is much higher and distribution is better organized, following trafficking routes used for other drugs or people.

--Contact reporter Josh Brodesky at 807-7789 or jbrodesky@azstarnet.com.

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Copyright (c) 2007, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson

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