Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
DRUG TALK — Darrell Crandall, commander of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, speaks to a group of about 100 individuals at Houlton Southside School April 23 as part of community session on methamphetamine awareness.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — It is hard to dispute the evidence that methamphetamine use and abuse exists in Aroostook County.
In the past year, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officials have conducted a number of raids in the area on residences suspected of being meth-manufacturing locations, resulting in a number of arrests.
So in order to provide members of the public with as much information on the drug, a methamphetamine awareness session was held at Houlton Southside School April 23 with nearly 100 people in attendance.
Guest speakers included Dr. Karen Simone, director for the Northern New England Poison Control Center; Darrell Crandall, commander of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; Butch Asselin, Houlton chief of police; Peter McCorison of the Aroostook Mental Health Center; Phil Jurson, counselor at Life by Design; and Gretel Crockett of the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the website, www.methproject.org, meth is a highly addictive, synthetic stimulant that affects the central nervous system.
The known physical and mental effects from prolonged use include brain damage, organ failure, rotting teeth, open sores, mania, paranoia, obsessive-compulsive behavior and psychosis.
So why would anyone start using meth in the first place? According to Simone, the initial effects of using the drug include an increased heart rate and sense of unlimited energy, similar to the effects of an extreme caffeine rush. It can also suppress appetite and increase a person’s libido.
“Basically, it speeds up the whole body and makes everything go really, really fast,” Crandall added. “It is not good for you at all, we know that much.”
Crandall said the drug can be found in either powder or crystal form. The ingredients used for making meth involve a number of different toxic chemicals, including anhydrous ammonia, sodium hydroxide (lye), ether, lighter fluid, brake fluid, lithium from lithium ion batteries, and common drain cleaner such as Drano. These ingredients are mixed with the drug ephedrine, commonly found in nasal decongestants, in a highly combustible manner, making the process extremely dangerous, Crandall said.
Because so many of these harsh chemicals are used, and disposed of, in its creation, meth manufacturing poses a serious health risk, Crandall added.
Oftentimes, plastic two-liter soda bottles are used for the creation of meth. Crandall said if a person were to find a suspicious looking bottle with a piece of plastic hose attached to it, they should not touch the item and immediately notify local authorities.
“We have seen all sorts of things being used to make this drug,” Crandall said. “The reaction that takes place can be very violent. When lithium metal touches water it burns and they (drug makers) are putting that in closed container with fuel.”
He said it was not uncommon for these bottles to explode, similar to a flare gun being fired, which can cause serious burns. The chemicals released into the air, or left behind on walls, carpeting and furniture can burn a person’s eyes, lungs, throat and skin.
So what should a landlord do if they discover meth has been made in their building? The first step is to air the residence out for several days to disperse any vapors in the air. Removal of all of the carpeting, tapestries, furniture and appliances is also recommended, according to Simone. Walls should also be cleaned and painted with an oil-based paint.
Asselin said the Houlton area was fortunate in that it has not seen an increase in home invasions as a result of increased drug use. But that is not to say that drugs are not prevalent in the area. The good news, he said, was that his department was not seeing a lot of juveniles arrested for possession of meth.
And while those using the drug tend to be a very small segment of those conducting criminal activities, the penchant for repeat offenses is very high with those using meth. Meth users also represent a cross-section of society, not just one demographic.
Crockett discussed why DHHS has been involved with numerous cases, stating that children found in a home where one or more parent is doing meth are generally found to be living in deplorable conditions.
“We are seeing a lot of neglect in these cases,” she explained. “In many cases, older siblings are being left to care for younger ones, with no heat or food.”
In some cases, caseworkers have rescued children from homes that had no working plumbing, with toilets overflowing with waste. The children in these homes are often very dirty, suffer from anxiety and attachment disorder and often lack the social skills needed to survive. Many children have also been physically or sexually abused, not necessarily by their parents, but by those associating with their parents.
“All of these things are going on right here in this community,” Crockett said.
