Like neighboring Jones County, Smith County is facing a problem that continues to increase as the economy worsens — methamphetamine.
Smith County Sheriff Charlie Crumpton said the drug, better know as “meth,” is much cheaper to manufacture than cocaine.
“People can also buy the more purer form of meth at a cheaper price than cocaine,” added Crumpton. “The pure solid form of meth is called ice.”
According to the U. S. Department of Justice, methamphetamine can be transformed into a very pure solid form that is crystalline. That’s where the name “ice” or “glass” comes from.
Describing meth as a powerful and highly addictive drug, Crumpton said that unlike cocaine or other drugs, meth can be manufactured using various store bought chemicals.
The most common ingredient in meth is pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, which is found in cold or cough medicine. Other ingredients that used in the process of making meth are ether, paint thinner, Freon, acetone, anhydrous ammonia, iodine crystals, red phosphorus, drain cleaner, battery acid, and lithium (taken from inside batteries).
Crumpton noted that Smith County has received a huge increase in meth manufacturing and arrests during the past six to eight months. He added that he has worked closely with the Jones County Sheriff’s Department in efforts to “crack down on meth use and meth manufacturing in the area.”
In December, a search of a home in Smith County led to the arrest of three men. With a search warrant in hand, Crumpton and deputies, along with an agent from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics went to the home of 55-year-old Paskell (Pat) Lowery on Dec. 22. There they found an active meth lab with chemicals. According to Crumpton, the suspects were “cooking the meth in a shed by the house.”
Also arrested were 55-year-old Tommy Joe McLellan and 41-year-old Randy Jones.
The Department of Justice reports that meth abuse has become a tremendous challenge for the entire nation. Education, prevention and community involvement are key parts of the department’s national strategy to reduce the demand for meth. According to the Department of Justice, “people who know about the destructive effects of meth on the user and the community are far less likely to use meth.”
When it comes to families, law enforcement officials are finding that meth brings an increased in child endangerment, abuse and neglect cases. Also, parents, who tend to crash after days of meth use, often leave their children to fend for themselves. Making matters worse, parents under the influence of meth may also sexually or physically abuse their children. In addition, if parents cook up meth at home, the children are exposed to toxic, combustible chemicals.
In communities, meth brings an increase in property crimes and car thefts. Also, identification theft soars because addicts need money for their habit. Local jails have to house newly-arrested meth users and health care facilities must treat patients who overdose or are injured in lab explosions.
“Because of overcrowding in our jails, we have had to carry some of the people we have arrested to jails in Jasper County and Rankin County,” said Crumpton. “The increase in meth use and manufacturing is a serious concern of ours. It’s a problem none of us like to see in our communities.”
Local News
Related Photos
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Photo/Charlotte A. Graham, File
Sheriff: Meth use rising in Smith County
Poor economy leading to increase in drug
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