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How is Meth made?
Meth is made cheaply with over the counter ingredients. The precursor or main ingredient is ephedrine, or pseudoephedrine.
This chemical is found in over 240 different products sold on the market today. However the most common is cold tablets.
There are several ways to manufacture meth. All them contain toxic chemicals, produce toxic by-products, and can
be dangerous to the cooker, the environment and anyone near the cooking process. The biggest hazards are explosions
and fire. With such chemicals being used as lantern gas, ether, solvents, and ammonium nitrate as well as heat and/or
open flame, fires are common.
Some of the other chemicals used in the cooking process are:
Anhydrous ammonia
Sodium (salt)
Sodium hydroxide
Litium metal
Red Phospherous
Muratic Acid
Tincture of Iodine
Lye (red devil drain claner)
Ether (starting fluid, finger nail polish remover, toluene)
Strong Solvents
Ammonium Nitrate ( in place of anhydrous, very dangerous)
All of these chemicals are hazardous to health and environment. However users and cookers continue use of their
deadly concoction. Cookers will dispose of these chemical in areas that will be tough to detect. They will dump
them in the sewer, septic system, natural waters, streams, and just dump them on the ground.
This becomes a difficult issue for Landlords who rent their property. When these properties become contaminated
it becomes the liability of the land owner. Meth lab clean ups can cost as much as 10 thousand dollars, depending
on the contamination. Sadly, there is no law in the State of Michigan the requires a standard of cleanliness.
So even after the expense of clean up by an enviornmental cleaning crew, the land owner may still spend a large amount of
money repairing damage to the home.
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| Colon Meth Lab |
Drug Endangered Children
When children are present in a meth lab there are a whole new set of circumstances that must be dealt with. Children
become contaminated by the fumes in a meth lab, and in a lot of cases, are neglected, malnurished, and are physically ill.
They must be removed from the environment.
When they are removed, they are taken to a medical facility and their health is assessed. They will then be put
in a foster care facility. They are not allowed to take anything with them. So if they have a favorite toy, teddy
bear, or a security blanket, it must be left behind. This can be traumatic and emotionally devistating to a young child.
They will now need counseling and help with understanding. Not an easy task, for anyone.
In St. Joe County, foster care is limited. Because of the increase in meth lab busts, the homes are filling up.
More foster care homes would be helpful, but it doesn't solve the problem.
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