Utah's stubborn meth plague

Utah's methamphetamine problem is nothing new. As far back as 1998, this state led the nation in the number of illegal meth labs per capita.

But it helps to be reminded of the problem and of the many twists and turns it is taking. A recent feature story in this newspaper — an interview with a man who soon will be released from the prison system after what appears to be a sincere effort to rehabilitate — provided a glimpse into the state of a very secret, and deadly, plague.

The repentant prisoner claims people are developing new, more elusive ways to "cook" meth, and that the Wasatch Front's enormous problem with the drug remains. Law enforcement officials say his story is credible. It is corroborated, in part, by Rep. Chris Cannon, who said Utah ranks No. 1 nationwide for "speed cookeries."

In the past, meth labs were fairly easy to detect because they emitted a foul odor. They also were extremely dangerous because they involved heat and risked large explosions. Today, meth labs use safer methods that don't involve heat and are much easier to hide, but they produce a drug that is just as devastating.

For the past several years, no one has been able to provide a suitable answer as to why Utah is a leader in the manufacture and use of this illegal drug. People have blamed lax laws that make it easy to obtain materials, but part of meth's lure has always been that it could be "cooked" using chemicals that can be extracted from legal, over-the-counter products.

Some people are attracted by the drug's usefulness as a weight-loss tool. But they quickly get caught in a rip tide that pulls them into the deep seas of addiction. Next, they become paranoid, sleep-deprived and desperate for money, and their bodies begin wasting away.

But regardless as to why so many people here use and make the drug, Utahns need to be more generally aware than they currently are about the situation. Meth destroys lives, increases the crime rate and can contaminate the walls of a house, ruining the health of an unwitting buyer. It pays for everyone to watch for symptoms and to be willing to report suspicious activity.

In a state that prides itself on a quality lifestyle and family-friendly atmosphere, meth labs have joined a high bankruptcy rate as aspects of the culture that defy explanation. Awareness may be an imperfect solution, but until someone can isolate the cause of this problem, it is the best one available.