Important column about the dangers of meth

According to the article, the 22rd Judicial Drug Task Force in Covington County, makes more meth busts than any other circuit in Alabama. In fact, the local DTF makes more meth-related arrests than Okaloosa County, Fla., a county with six times the population of Covington!

From http://www.andalusiastarnews.com/article...ion/882opin.txt:
 
In a long interview with area DTF Commander Paul Dean late this week, he explained to me some of the dangers of meth. The dangerous drug -- basically a mix of pseudo ephedrine, Drano, other household cleaning supplies, baking soda and additional ingredients -- literally eats away your liver, your kidneys, your heart, your lungs, and finally, your brain. The DTF commander has seen autopsies of deceased, longtime meth addicts whose brains were missing tissue larger than the size of a softball.(...)
A teenager, under pressure from his peers, could smoke a "rock" of crack because he wants to impress his friends. If he's from a wealthy family or has the money, he might sniff a line of the purer, more expensive form. (...) I've heard addicts say that, once you get that initial high, your body craves the feeling and it seems to become a physical and psychological need.

Surprisingly, the closest rehab facility is located in Enterprise.
 
The writer of the article makes the very good suggestion that there should be a "structured, local counseling center where a person could sit down and talk about his problem without shame or fear."
 
Drugs of any kind can cause lives to spin rapidly out of control, and there should be a destination for anyone who needs help, including (and especially) those who can't afford to pay for therapy.

07:55 AM