Meth-related arrests double

Mike Swanson

Statistics released by the Laguna Beach Police Department this week

showed that methamphetamine-related arrests in 2003 are more than

double last year’s total, with two months remaining to further widen

the gap.

Officers have made 44 arrests for methamphetamines so far this

year compared to 20 in 2002, said Hilda Madrid of the criminal

statistics unit. Ten years ago, the number was 15.

“Meth use has been increasing all over the U.S.,” Sgt. Darin Lenyi

said. “The number seems to increase every year. It’s more easily

obtainable than cocaine and cheaper than cocaine, but has a similar

effect, and you can make meth in a garage instead of having to wait

for a shipment of cocaine from Columbia.”

Drugs of choice work in cycles, Sgt. Jason Kravetz said, and the

trend among users appears to be strongest today with

methamphetamines.

“In the ‘70s it was pot; in the ‘80s it was cocaine; now, it’s

meth,” Kravetz said. “It’s flooding the market, but it’s good to know

a lot of people are getting caught.”

The effort to educate officers on detecting signs of

methamphetamine users has increased with the frequency of arrests,

Kravetz said.

“Our officers have a good idea of what to look for in meth users,

from checking a driver’s eyes during a routine traffic stop to

showing up at a house and seeing signs that a lab might be there,”

Kravetz said.

Methamphetamine users often have dilated pupils, and they speak

rapidly and then slur their speech, according the Koch Crime

Institute. High doses can cause users to become flush or pale and

cause an irregular heartbeat, loss of coordination and physical

collapse.

Long-term heavy use can lead to malnutrition, skin disorders,

ulcers and diseases resulting from vitamin deficiencies. Regular

usage typically causes lack of sleep and weight loss.