Aug. 24, 2009

ZeroMeth campaign tries to stop drug's spread

EDITORIAL BY D.A. MIKE O'DELL

FORT PAYNE — As the chief law enforcement officer for DeKalb and Cherokee counties, I am charged with assessing and addressing the criminal justice needs of our communities.

Over the last nine years, methamphetamine has become the number one law enforcement problem in our circuit. It is the most dangerous and devastating drug we have ever encountered. It is eroding the very fabric of our society, threatening the safety and welfare of our children and grown-ups, alike.

Nearly 90 percent of all crimes committed in our two-county circuit are drug related. The majority of those are due to meth addiction. Locally, meth is responsible for dramatic increases in child abuse and domestic violence, with nearly 80 percent of foster care kids coming from meth homes.

Meth destroys the lives of its users. They lose their homes, jobs, and families. They abandon their children, beat their spouses, lie, cheat, and steal. Meth is also the only drug we know of that actually cannibalizes its users by eating the body's muscle and tissue from the inside out. Although being made from some of the most toxic substances known to man, it continues to be the most popular drug in use in our community today.
ZeroMeth is my office's response to the destructive force of today's meth epidemic. The purpose of this public awareness campaign is to expose meth and its deadly consequences to our teens and young adults. The goal is to stop first-time users from trying the drug while encouraging everyone to look for the warning signs and support treatment.

Through education and prevention we hope to stop the cycle of meth addiction. This campaign is designed to create hard-hitting and memorable impressions, leaving no doubt that meth is a poison and its use must be stopped. It is also designed to “flood” the local community with the ZeroMeth logo in an attempt to keep the issue of meth prevention on the minds and hearts of all our citizens.

August was declared ZeroMeth Awareness Month by our local elected officials. As a result, a number of local businesses and public offices have joined our efforts to fight meth in our community. A special thanks goes out to Probate Judge Melvyn Salter and all the Cherokee County elected officials and employees, including Circuit Clerk Dwayne Amos, Sheriff Jeff Shaver, District Judge Sheri Carver and the Juvenile Court staff, the owners and employees of Shepherd's Fold Day Care, and Starr's BBQ. The folks at the Mountain Parkway Grill have all volunteered to wear the ZeroMeth shirts every Friday during the month of August to help us get the message out. We have additional shirts for any other businesses or offices who would like to join our efforts.

Go to www.zerometh.com or call my office at 256-845-8550 to learn what you can do to help fight the spread of meth.