Danger: Clandestine Drug Labs Making Crystal Methamphetamine
By Mike Kennamer, MPA, NREMT-P, Northeast Alabama Community College

You respond to an “unknown medical” call to a suburban residence. Upon arrival an elderly female, Mrs. Nived, meets you at the ambulance. She explains that the call is actually for her neighbors, located just across the street. She tells you that there has been a great deal of traffic in and out of the house lately. “Someone will drive up and honk the horn,” she says, “and one of the men will come out of the house and go to their car window.” Visits never last more than a few minutes and visitors rarely, if ever, get out of the car.

While looking out her pantry window tonight Mrs. Nived witnessed what she describes as a flash from within the house. The occupants briefly evacuated, then returned to the house. Mrs. Nived thought she saw some smoke but in the subdued light of the neighbor's house couldn't be certain. “I don't know why I stay in this neighborhood,” she says. “Many of my neighbors have moved into retirement homes. I don't know everyone in the neighborhood like I once did. And sometimes the odor—I guess there must be a factory nearby—it's awful.”

The house is pretty typical of those in the neighborhood. It is no better or worse kept than the others though there are several boxes stacked on the front porch. The house appears unusually dark, in stark contrast to the others in the neighborhood.

Once considered a west coast problem, clandestine drug labs have now spread to all areas of the United States . Over the past several years, methamphetamine production in clandestine labs has increased incrementally. While most of these labs are found in rural areas, authorities have begun to find labs in urban areas including Boston , Los Angeles , and Miami , as well as in suburban neighborhoods like Mrs. Nived's.

Methamphetamine is produced using one of two processes, both of which result in the reduction of ephedrine. The materials used in each process are readily available to the “amateur chemists,” who “cook” the methamphetamine into a useable form. To curb the availability of materials used in the production process, some state and local governments have passed laws limiting the purchase of these materials.

The red phosphorous method uses red phosphorous and black iodine while the Nazi-dope method uses lithium strips from camera batteries and anhydrous ammonia. The fumes produced in the manufacturing process are quite dangerous, as are the by-products of many of the intermediate processes.

While many labs are hidden in remote areas, authorities are seeing more and more labs in residential dwellings. Kitchen cabinets may contain noxious chemicals stored alongside children's cereals. Dangerous chemicals may be stored in large quantities in residential areas. When approaching any dwelling, look for the telltale signs of a clandestine lab.

Look for windows that are blacked out with plastic or other window coverings. When inside the dwelling be alert to signs of the manufacture of methamphetamine including finding empty blister packs of pseudoephedrine (Sudafed™), dozens of match books with the striking plate (a source of red phosphorous) removed, and various chemicals including Red Devil™ lye, muriatic acid, and camping fuel.

Methamphetamine may be found in the form of powder, crystals, or granules, usually white, pink, beige, or brown. It may be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked. The initial effect occurs within seconds and the high may last for hours. Symptoms of acute use include increases in metabolism, heart rate, and blood pressure as well as agitation, sometimes becoming violent. Look for dilated pupils, rapid eye movements, jerky motions, twitching, and muscle spasms. Speech is usually rapid and the user may be unable to concentrate on one task. One of the most self-destructive symptoms is compulsive and repetitive behavior. For instance, one user thought he felt bugs crawling on his arm so he slashed his arm repeatedly with a hunting knife.

While sometimes dangerous to themselves, those who operate clandestine drug labs may also present danger to emergency responders. They may be armed and dangerous and some even have booby traps in their homes. While some “cookers” sell their product, many cook for their own use. In this case they may either be in a manic state, sometimes not sleeping for up to 15 days, and very irritable and paranoid, or in a withdrawal state suffering from depression, fatigue, and long periods of sleeping.

If evidence of a clandestine drug lab is found, the scene should be treated as a crime scene and police should be notified. If you are dispatched to the scene of a known drug lab, approach cautiously from upwind and follow instructions from law enforcement regarding entering the scene. Production and use of methamphetamine continues to be a serious problem. It monopolizes the resources of law enforcement and courts and causes serious and debilitating neurological problems for those who manufacture and use the drug, as well as those who are exposed to the noxious fumes produced during the manufacturing process.

While you might not want a neighbor like Mrs. Nived spying on you, many clandestine labs have been closed due to a tip from a concerned neighbor.

BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE

Do you have an article you would like to submit?
For more information view our submission guidelines.