Carol Falkowski
Guest Columnist

Trends in drug abuse come and go. Remember crack in the 1980s and GHB, the date rape drug in the 1990s? Some trends hold constant, such as tobacco-related mortality (400,000 lives lost annually), and alcohol abuse (over 100,000 annually).

Underage drinking persists even now - 20 years after states adopted age 21 drinking age. And marijuana sends more people into addiction treatment programs in the Twin Cities than any other illegal drug. Itís been that way for years.

So what makes methamphetamine abuse so different? Plenty.

First, consider the drug itself, with high abuse potential, and long-acting properties. A person under the influence of meth may be in an altered state for 8-12 hours. Once addicted, addicts use for extended periods of time - sometimes days. During these periods they do not eat or sleep, due to the stimulant effects of the drug.

Eventually meth addicts develop strong paranoid delusions, seeing and hearing things that arenít really there. And they believe that everyone is out to get them, even innocent strangers. Because meth is also a neurotoxin, some of the brain functioning may not be fully restored even after a person successfully stops using meth.

People who make meth themselves in the privacy of their own apartment, home, office, or car, use ingredients that can be readily purchased. Mixing these volatile, poisonous substances pollutes our waters, land and air. People living in proximity are seriously harmed, sometimes without their knowledge.

Small children who live in homes where meth is made are particularly damaged, suffering chemical burns, lung irritation, blood disorders, and the increased risk of permanent neurological damage, as well as the neglect that occurs whenever caregivers are profoundly addicted.

For these reasons meth addicts represent a heightened threat to both the public safety and the public health.

Can methamphetamine addiction be treated? Absolutely. But treatment is not as accessible as it should be, especially to meth addicts - many of whom have lost their jobs, their homes, their families, and their health.

Budget cuts to public funds have been deep and far-reaching. Meth addicts also require an adequate length of treatment, to sort out pre-existing psychiatric disorders from those associated with meth use itself.

Following primary treatment halfway houses or other supported, transitional living situations are often indicated. Yet, these too, are not always accessible to all who need them.

And what about meth labs? Every individual needs to be vigilant in reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement. People making meth use enormous amounts of legal products to make it. So, if you notice these piled up in your neighborís trash, or smell a strong chemical odor, or people coming and going from a business or dwelling at all hours of the day or night, report your suspicions.

Our children need to appreciate the dangers of meth use and meth labs -- and conclude that they wonít try it -- especially young teenage girls who may be initially attracted by the weight loss effects.

For long-lasting prevention we need to engage and have dialogue not just within our schools, but also within families and entire communities.

Effective prevention is the same message delivered by multiple messengers.

The message? Speed kills.

Guest columnist, Carol Falkowski, is the director of research communications at the Hazelden Foundation, and author of Dangerous Drugs: An Easy-to-Use Reference for Parents and Professionals.

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