The devil's kitchen in rural America

Crank, crystal, white crunch, amp, speed, glass, ice, "P", and many more all refer to the same thing, methamphetamine or meth, a drug that is taking rural America by storm. Meth isn't a new drug. It was first synthesized in Japan in 1893 with the aim of treating narcolepsy and depression. It was approved by the FDA in 1944 but later had its approval revoked. It was even distributed to Allied and Axis forces during WWII, prior to any known negative effects of the drug. It wasn't until 1960 that meth became a recreational drug, often supplied by street gangs.

Unlike many street drugs such as marijuana or cocaine, meth is easily made from common household chemicals. Ingredients vary depending on the "recipe" but usually include variances of ephedrine (a nasal decongestant), battery acid, Drano, match heads, fertilizer, lantern fuel, ammonia, and road flares. Once mixed, the chemical are "cooked" or reduced down to a white or brown crystal. The end result, prior to any preparation for use, often appears as thin shattered glass.

Meth is as versatile in the ways to make it as ways to use it. Users smoke the crystals in glass bulbous pipes or mix it with tobacco or marijuana cigarettes, dissolve it in liquid for drinking, inject it intravenously, or snort it similar to cocaine.

Besides the obvious health issues associated with meth use, additional problems include the potential environmental impacts the caustic chemicals have on the environment. many believe the drug also increases crime related to the use, sale, and purchase of meth. Rural America has been hit the hardest by meth.

Rural areas make ideal places to "cook" meth. The private expansive spaces and access to large quantities of potential ingredients, usually stolen from local farmers, has created a serious problem for rural communities. Based on federal drug statistics, Asa Hutchinson of the Drug Enforcement Administration said, ''I would call it (meth) the No. 1 drug problem in rural America."

Rural areas are seeing an increase in the drug's use and manufacturing. Sheriff and city police departments are having to conduct an increasing number of meth lab busts, industrial burglary investigations of chemicals, domestic violence, and child endangerment cases. The often small rural agencies are often stretched thin on resources and money to combat the drug. The result is that the drug is winning the fight.

Along with the increase in crime these communities must also deal with the dangerous chemicals left over from making the meth. For every one pound of meth that hits the street approximately five to six pounds of toxic waste are created. The toxic waste leftovers are often simply dumped by the "cookers". These chemicals flow into local groundwater supplies, streams and lakes, and they wreak havoc on the local environment. Again, the small budgets of rural governments are often limited in what they can do to properly clean up the hazards.

There are several sources online that are helpful in understanding the serious effects of meth on the individual and on the community. Deputy Sheriff Bret King, of Multnomah County, has organized a website entitled "Faces of Meth." The website shows images of Multnomah County inmates and their rapid changes after getting involved in meth. America Meth is a short documentary, narrated by actor Val Kilmer, that explores the effects meth is having on America's communities and families.

As the meth problem grows in middle America, many ask what can be done to better combat the drug. Some look to stricter drug laws, while others look to better education concerning the drug's effects. Either way something needs to be done to limit the consequences of meth before The Devil's Kitchen becomes too popular a restaurant.

A few related blog posts are Meth in Europe and When the drug trades comes to town.