Presenters at last week’s
methamphetamine workshop for the Board of Supervisors gave one unified message, meth is
one of the most destructive drugs ever to hit Siskiyou County. It destroys individual
lives and families, underlies property crime and domestic violence, and consumes taxpayer
resources at an alarming rate.
According to District Attorney Kirk Andrus, the National Center on
Addiction and Substance Abuse has determined that each addict commits from 89-191 crimes
per year. The Department of Health and Human Services attributed 3 million crimes in 2002
to meth. That figure climbed to 6 million in 2004. In the central California Coast,
studies show that 89% of all domestic violence involves meth.
Oregon has tough laws to restrict the purchase of iodine and Sudafed,
both components of the meth recipe. California has no such law. However, a federal law
went into effect on April 15 restricting purchase to 120/day and 300/month with
registration. Andrus indicated that most of the commercial crystal meth in Siskiyou County
originates in Mexico and is associated with the same cartels that are involved in
marijuana.
Dr. Pat Brown from Siskiyou County Behavioral Health Services (BHS)
explained the effects of meth on the brain. Most drugs alter the function of the circuits
of the brain that produce pleasure. Meth actually damages these circuits, as well as the
prefrontal cortex –the seat of conscious rational thought. Meth inflicts practically
every severe psychiatric illness there is. It also causes the slowing of motor function
and impairs memory. In some cases, pathways become so damaged that the addict actually
feels pleasure in creating pain. The longer an individual uses meth, the more severe the
symptoms, and the symptoms do not decrease with abstinence from the drug.
Ceceilia Cavezzi of the BHS Summit Program told us addiction can be
treated. She pointed out that most addicts are polysubstance users – particularly the
“gateway” drugs of alcohol and marijuana. A good predictor of addiction is how
young a person starts. The earliest she has seen is 4-5 years old. Ms. Cavezzi stated that
the best way to help a child avoid drugs is to teach them how to think things through and
make decisions, not just obey you.
Diane Gularte from the Perinatal Next Step Program said that
statistic show that about 10% of children are living with a parent who is chemically
dependent. Experience has taught her that is Mom is not ok, then the kids are not ok. The
best way is to treat the whole family, including the children.
The audience was shown actual photos of conditions where children had
been living in Siskiyou County with addicts and dealers. Children had been removed due to
sexual abuse, physical abuse, severe neglect, exploitation and endangerment.
According to Susan Cervelli from Human Services, in 2005, 79% of
child abuse cases filed were drug related and of that, 49% were meth-related. 117 children
were removed. In 2005-06, they drug tested the children removed from homes. Of the
children 5 years and under, 62% tested positive for meth and 20% for marijuana. Of
children aged 10 years and under, 57% tested positive for meth and 9% for marijuana. These
children absorbed meth through inhaling it, touching a surface or ingesting.
Meth exposure in children causes anger, aggression, delinquency,
school problems, criminal behavior, attachment disorders, isolation, poor peer relations,
life-long health and learning problems, a tendency toward addiction and dropping out.
These children are five times more likely to be incarcerated as an adult.
Once a child is removed, it is the goal of Child Protective Services
to reunify the family. The court typically orders counseling, anger management and
parenting classes for the parents.
The cost of foster care for the children may run from $1,600 to
$10,000 a month for specialized care. Siskiyou County currently has 184 children in foster
care at $363,000 a month to house. It is estimated that the total cost in Siskiyou County
this year will be around $2 million.
In
next week’s column, I will continue my report on this important workshop.
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