Chamber to sponsor free seminar on "Meth"

By Ardie Kuhse
Every day in our local newspapers we read about meth labs being discovered and individuals who have been arrested for dealing and using. In 2003, Allamakee County alone, seized over 30 meth labs and that number continues to increase. Iowa is one of the leading states in the nation to harbor meth labs and the highest percentage of these labs are found right here in Northeast Iowa.
On February 24 the Postville Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a free seminar entitled "Meth in our Community." It will be held at the Postville Fine Arts & Civic Center from 7-9 p.m. and is an educational seminar featuring: Jeremy Strub, Allamakee County Substance Abuse Coordinator; Sherryl Paul, NE Iowa Department of Correctional Service-Substance Abuse; and the Allamakee County Sheriff's Department and Postville Police Department.
Learn what meth looks like, what the dangers are, the consequences are, the effects are, what meth does to you and where to get help.
Didn't we all pick Northeast Iowa as a place to live and raise our families because of the high quality of life it offers us? Meth manufacturers (cookers) don't care about that. They see Northeast Iowa as a more discrete place in which to hide or blend in. These labs can be found anywhere from individual residences, to abandoned farmhouses, trunks and back seats of vehicles, fields and under bridges - as was discovered last year just north of Postville. It could very well be in your neighbor's backyard.
Methamphetamine (Meth) is a highly addictive drug that has very serious consequences for the user. Most addictions can occur after only one use. A user does not have the ability to "back off" the drug once using. The drug completely takes a hold of the person's life - not just for the highs and energy it gives at the time, but for the long-term affects that no one cares to think about happening to them down the road: mental illness, depression, hallucinations, paranoia, heart attacks, stroke, coma, convulsions, extreme weight loss, loss of teeth, lead poisoning and even death. Most of these physical illnesses cause long-term or permanent damage.
One of the most devastating affects aside from what it does to the user is what it does to family members, friends and yes - even to a community.
Meth is easy to make and very inexpensive to produce. The recipe is easily obtained or shared and a batch can be produced in as little as 20 minutes. Because of that, it is the most abundant and most easily obtainable drug in our area. Because it is cheap and easy to make and because it produces such a long lasting high, meth has become the drug of choice in this new generation of drug users.
Meth has no barriers as to the age or sex of users. Meth has no boundaries as to where it can be found or obtained. Meth has no social standards. So how many persons are using Meth?
Statistics show that about two percent of the persons in your neighborhood are taking it. That means that of 2,500 residents in Postville there could be 50 of our neighbors using Meth. That is a scary statistic. This means that there are a lot of people out there whose main concern in life is where they are getting their next fix from - it's not about being a good neighbor, it's not about being a good parent or student, it's not about being a good employee, and it's not about being a law abiding citizen.
What can you do? You can start by becoming educated about Meth. A little over a year ago our local legislators, Senator Mark Zieman, Representative Chuck Gipp and Representative Roger Thomas asked for help here in Northeast Iowa with the Meth problem. They recognized that numbers in cookers, dealers and users was rising at an alarming rate and they also recognized that Northeast Iowa was a prime location for dealing in Meth. As a result, they helped to set up the Northeast Iowa Meth Task Force.
The Task Force represents five Northeast Iowa counties and consists of not only these local State Legislators, but representatives from county supervisors, law enforcement officials, human services agencies, lawyers, mental health professionals, Department of Corrections, businesses and more. Our first goal was to educate ourselves and we have spent nearly a year doing just that. Our next goal is to educate the public, business owners and employees, schools and teachers, parents, health care providers, county and city workers, and communities.
We all need to be educated. Business owners need to be aware of what is being sold from their business that would be of a suspicious nature. Parents need to know how to talk to their children. Students need to know the hazards of being tempted by these drugs. Teachers need to educate students and recognize the symptoms of drug use. County and City workers need to recognize and know how to handle suspicious materials. Citizens need to be aware of their own surroundings.
You have the opportunity to begin this education process here in Postville. The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a community seminar for all interested persons on Thursday, February 24th at the Postville Fine Arts and Civic Center from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. You will have the opportunity to hear from Jeremy Strub who works with substance abuse programs throughout Allamakee County. His presentation is entitled "Meth & More". You will hear from deputies of the Allamakee County Sheriff's Department who will also show a display of the different lethal ingredients, weapons and other paraphernalia they have confiscated during drug busts.
Our local Postville Police Department will be on hand to share information on what they do and most importantly what they want you to do should you encounter something suspicious.
There will be a short break with coffee and cookies donated by chamber members after which, Sherryl Paul, who is a Substance Abuse Liaison with the Department of Correctional Services here in Northeast Iowa will speak. She will not only share facts about Meth but will also share some of her experiences in dealing with users once they are assigned to her.
We are hoping also to have the opportunity to hear first hand from a drug user who was arrested and is currently going through the rehabilitation process. The evening will close with enough time for questions and answers for any of the speakers.
So come prepared to listen, to learn and then tell others what you know about Meth. Through this seminar, you will better understand how meth can hurt you. You will learn how important it is to stay away from meth and other drugs. You will learn where to get help, if you need it.
You have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life and in your community just by being informed.