W. Alan Beckelheimer "Something To Think About ..." Published Sept. 8, 2004

Meth destroys children and adults, but in different ways

Children and adults differ in their relationship with meth because of one key factor, choice.

Initially, adults and adolescents that abuse methamphetamine do so because of one simple fact, they choose to. Children, because of their youth, dependence on their parents or others for survival and by virtue of their nature, don't have the power of choice while they grow and develop into adolescents and then adults. What makes the situation worse for children is the fact that in many cases they have nowhere to escape their gradual poisoning because it often takes place in their own homes.

Last year, approximately 200 children that were enrolled in Cumberland County schools were removed from their homes at some point during the school year. In some cases the stench of meth that had attached itself to the clothes of these children was so bad they had to be isolated from the other students until something could be done for them. Other children were so negatively affected by living in a home that housed a meth lab that clumps of hair fell from their head onto their desks. These issues are bad but they serve to reveal other underlying problems adversely affecting children that live with meth labs.

School serves as an educational tool for children in many ways. Children learn not only academics but important social skills such as relating to their peers, dealing with members of authority, etc. When a child is forced to deal with what meth does to their parents and themselves, it severely hampers a child's social development, thereby making life that much more difficult for them when instead they should be able to look forward to interacting with others and enjoying the benefits of having peers. Meth robs from our children, and by extension, meth robs our community.

In ever increasing numbers, meth-positive babies are being born to meth-addicted mothers right here in Cumberland County. For every 20 minutes a pregnant woman is high on meth, the baby she is carrying in her womb feels the influence of the drug for 24 hours. Since most pregnant women that use meth are already addicted to the drug, you can be sure that they don't limit their use to 20 minutes; no, they are much more likely to abuse this patently evil drug for 10 to 20 hours, irregardless of the torment they are subjecting their unborn child to. I'll leave the thought of what this does to an innocent child for your own comprehension.

Sadly, most hospitals in Tennessee don't even know how to test for meth in children, thereby jeopardizing the children even more.

Because Tennessee's number of premature births has increased exponentially with the onset of meth in our communities, the March of Dimes has recently named Tennessee as a target state for its efforts in improving the health of babies.

Thirty percent of all meth labs have children present in the location where the manufacturing or cooking occurs. Of these children a full 70 percent test positive for methamphetamine.

Per pound, a baby has more skin surface than teenagers or adults, thereby making them that much more vulnerable to the absorption of poisonous chemicals used in the cooking of meth. The chemicals released into the air during the cooking of meth are heavier than the air. Most meth labs are constructed and operated indoors, thereby concentrating these airborne particles within a closed in structure. As a result, these poisonous meth particles hover in the air at an approximate height of 3 ft. to 4 ft., a height parallel to the height of an average child. Because these particles hang in the air at this height, they are in a sickeningly perfect position to be absorbed by children through breathing, further damaging our innocent children by burning and inflaming their lungs.

Although most babies aren't born addicted to meth, the toxicity that is thrust upon them by their mothers can last a lifetime. In the first 12 to 24 hours after a meth baby is born, most meth babies develop seizures as their bodies desperately fight to rid themselves of the toxic chemicals they have been soaking in for nine months. Beyond a meth baby's first month of life, the amount of toxicity in their brain still harms them. This damage hinders development in meth babies to the point that many of them can't cry to let someone know they are hungry or are in pain.

A child's clothes, toys, bed linens and everything in a home where meth is cooked becomes contaminated with toxic chemicals. When children are upset they often grab a teddy bear or other comfort animal and hug it tightly. Normally this wouldn't be cause for alarm but if there is a meth lab in the house, that teddy bear is full of meth particles, thereby bringing dangerous particles that much closer to a child's mouth and nose, further harming them in a time of need.

The health conditions in meth labs are so detrimental, destructive and dirty that rats and roaches won't come near any location hiding a meth lab. Yet members of our community willingly and knowingly cook meth and allow children to play, live, sleep and even eat in close proximity to these labs whose only purpose exists in the manufacture of death, robbery of spirit and ruin of human potential and compassion.

Jars of unstable, ether-containing, meth oil are often kept out in the open, easily accessible to children.

These "mother jugs" as they are called, have an explosive equivalent to three to five sticks of dynamite. These jugs often consist of two-liter bottles or large jars with equally accessible twist-off tops. With the propensity of curiosity inherent in children, it's not hard to imagine the dangers of this situation. Meth labs are also extremely prone to flash fires, which are caused by the air becoming latent with flammable chemicals to the extent that it simply combusts, charring, cooking and killing all unfortunate enough to be in its wake, including children.

Whether it is through accidental ingestion of chemicals used in cooking meth, ingestion of finished meth, second hand meth smoke inhalation, crawling through chemical spills or inhaling contaminants, children are exposed to meth everyday.

As if this method of damaging children weren't enough for meth, it brings with its presence other shameful problems that have lasting effects on a child's health and social development.
Since methamphetamine began its siege on our community, occurrences of domestic violence in Cumberland County have shot up 500 percent. One of the detrimental effects that meth has on its users is an increased sex drive. Unfortunately, meth so twists the humanity and feelings of compassion that are natural to any human to the extent that children become targets of opportunity for meth addicts seeking an outlet for their drug inspired desires. Children need protection from this evil; we as a community can act as a shield for these children, but only if we stand together and fight meth with all the resources at our disposal.

The First Lady of Tennessee, Andrea Conte, will soon begin her walk across Tennessee for the children of the state. Her intentions are to raise awareness about child abuse. In my opinion any instance where children are near meth or near a meth lab constitutes child abuse and this topic should be addressed by the First Lady. Conte will be in Cookeville on Nov. 17 as part of her "Andrea Walks for Our Children" program and I encourage members of our community to travel to Cookeville on this date to let her know we want meth out of our communities for the sake of the children. If you want to write to the First Lady, her address is as follows: First Lady Andrea Conte, Office of the First Lady, 312 8th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243.

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W. Alan Beckelheimer is a Crossville Chronicle staffwriter. His column appears each Wednesday in the Chronicle.