 Clandestine Meth Labs
 How to tell if there's a meth lab in your neighborhood?
Have You Noticed...
Strong solvent chemical odor (cat urine, alcohol, ether)
Blacked out windows, Large numbers of gas cans
Excessive traffic coming and going at odd hours particularly at night
Unusually large amounts of trash possibly containing odd items in large quantities such as antifreeze bottles, cold decongestant, drain cleaner, Coleman fuel
Laboratory equipment such as glass tubes, beakers, Bunsen burners, funnels, chemical glassware, plastic tubing, Pressurized tanks and cylinders
Large quantities of glass ware such as mason jars
Heavily guarded premises for example window bars or guard dogs
Coffee filters with red stains or soaked in alcohol or ether
Excessive amounts of hot plates, pressure cookers, or electric skillets
Large quantities of cold medications or weight loss products
Large number of empty blister packaging used for over the counter medication
Plastic bottles with the bottoms cut out
Chemical cans or drums in the yard with blacked out labels
Tenants who pay their landlords in cash (drug involved people often will only do business in cash)
Iodine or chemical stained bathroom and kitchen fixtures
Explosions
|
|
|
 |
Why Should You Care?
Those living close by a meth lab are in constant danger.
Threats include fire, explosion, and exposure to poisonous gas.
As well, meth labs are usually operated by armed criminals whose decision making is affected by exposure to poisonous gas, a potentially deadly combination.
Children are often found living in meth labs, forced to breathe in toxic chemicals suffering irreparable damage to their bodies and brain function.
|
 |
Just Another Day
 Another call its three AM,
The drug task force it at it again.
My beeper blairs, I groan and yawn,
throw on my jeans, and then I'm gone.
I meet the Sheriff he frowns and says,
we've got three kids and one is dead.
The parents have been high for weeks,
the little one was just too weak.
The lack of food,
the lack of heat,
the lack of clothes,
to meet their needs.
The little faces, the little tears,
buckled up and full of fear.
I tell them that it will be ok
is that a lie, well who's to say.
 We drive to the hospital and check ups are done,
bone scans, and blood draws, and up pops the sun.
Relative searches, biological dads,
aunts, uncles, they've all been had.
The Judge hears the stories, the horror, the end....
Why couldn't you just stop from using my friend.....
Two in foster care, one passed away..
There goes my beeper... to start the new day.....
ER Social Worker CPS, sOcIaL WoRkEr, Apr 09, 2005
|
|
 What Should You Do Now That You Know?
If you suspect a meth lab operation do not attempt to investigate yourself, contact local authorities and report what you have noticed.
Maintain the safety of yourself and your family. Meth labs are dangerous, generally full of toxic waste, and a serious fire hazzard.
Improper disposal of toxic waste from Clan labs is destroying our water systems, and causing pollution that may last a lifetime.
|
|
|
