Juan | ENGLISH 219 | April 18, 2014

CRYSTAL METH
BERNALILLO COUNTYS PROBLEM
PROPOSAL REPORT
ABSTRACT
Proposal Project to address the current methamphetamine problem in the
Bernalillo County and what can be done to fix it.

In recent years New Mexico has been associated with many problems. In this
proposal I will address the problem of methamphetamine abuse and the problems it
creates. I will propose to raise awareness and education of children through an
interactive attraction bus, how to limit the ingredients needed to create
methamphetamine in clandestine labs, and introducing drug sniffing dogs at
designated check points to help solve this problem. In conclusion I will finish by
reviewing the costs and benefits of this proposal.



Methamphetamine Problem: Crystal Mess

The County of Bernalillo has a methamphetamine problem. The purpose of this
proposal is to persuade the county to take the initiative and help with the problem. It
is imperative to address this issue
before it continues to grow to
epidemic proportions. Bernalillo
County has the highest number of
clandestine labs in the state of New
Mexico and has the highest abuse of
methamphetamine in 9-12 graders in
the nation. These numbers should be
alarming, if not downright
embarrassing. With the right
approach we can help minimize or even completely eradicate the problem.
In this proposal, we will look at the problems associated with Methamphetamine in
the Bernalillo County and what can be done to offset them. The First cause of the
problem is the lack of education awareness; the second problem is the readily
available ingredients needed to create the methamphetamine in clandestine labs, and
finally the importation of the product from super labs in Mexico that is reaching
Bernalillo County. Lastly, we will discuss the cost and the benefits of the plan.

0.00%
1.00%
2.00%
3.00%
4.00%
5.00%
6.00%
Meth Abuse 2009 Grades 9-12
Meth Abuse 2009
Grades 9-12
Establishing Need
1. Early education is the key in combating the drug problem in this case
methamphetamine. In our families and grade schools, educating children at a young
age is our only hope against drugs and drug abuse. All adults are aware of the dangers
of drugs and some still chose to engage in that activity anyway. What we dont know
is if those people were educated on the topic when they were young or if it was done
effectively. However diligence and new strategies to help raise awareness and educate
our children can have a long lasting even lifetime effect in their minds if done
correctly. Drug education enables children, youth and adults to develop the skills,
knowledge and most importantly the attitude of living healthy and being drug free.

2. Why control the pseudoephedrine, because the pseudoephedrine creates
clandestine labs. These labs are usually located in homes, apartments, hotels, motels,
garages, vehicles, storage sheds, barns, vacant buildings, and ditches. The clandestine
labs create more than the obvious problems. Like in economics these labs create
negative externalities a problem that has nothing to with the manufacturer or buyer of
the product, but rather affects other people that have nothing to with its production
or consumption. These externalities include toxic waste, explosion hazards, and toxic
fumes. The toxic waste from a single pound of meth is estimated at 5-7 pounds that is
500-700% more waste that the final product and a single cleanup on average can
exceed $4000.00. This waste gets discarded many times anywhere it can be disposed
of quickly. Children, pets and other innocent bystanders will come across the toxic
waste and be seriously injured if they come in contact with it. Clandestine labs and
the production of methamphetamine release gases that are highly volatile and that can
ignite and explode injuring if not killing the cooks but also anyone else around the lab
and can cause fires to burn out of control. Lastly the toxic fumes released by meth
production are toxic to the community. Breathing these toxic fumes can cause
irreversible and irreparable damage to the nasal passages, lungs and brain. This is the
main reason why pharmaceuticals companies creating drugs that contain
pseudoephedrine should adopt the Zephrex D way, a drug that cannot be ground up
and makes extremely difficult to extract pseudoephedrine. If they dont comply then
an ordinance could be set in the County of Bernalillo banning such drugs. The market
has begun manufacturing substitutes such as Zephrex D to offset the banning of the
other medications. This way we can end the clandestine lab problem. In order to force
other pharmaceuticals to adopt this new way of creating pseudoephedrine containing
drugs would have to come from the FDA; consequently, this is another obstacle in its
self.
3. There are various safeguards near our international borders and check points for
anyone leaving all border towns in order to thwart the drug smuggling business
including methamphetamine. These methods have shown effectiveness increasing the
amount of drug seizures. According to USA today Seizures of meth along the
Southwest border have more than quadrupled over the last several years. DEA
records reviewed by The Associated Press show that the amount of seized meth
jumped from slightly more than 4,000 pounds in 2007 to more than 16,000 pounds in
2011. That is nearly 8 tons in a single year. Also according to the same article during
the same period purity of Mexican produced meth has risen from 39% in 2007 to
88% in 2011. The price of meth dropped 69% from $290.00 a gram to less than
$90.00 during that same period. Mexico has tried to slow the production by tightening
laws and regulations on pseudoephedrine; however, Mexican super labs are smuggling
pseudoephedrine from countries like India and China to keep production rolling.
Even though the Department of Homeland Security has been increasing the number
of seizures the problem still exists. U.S Customs and Border Patrol agents have been
doing a great job in seizing this drug; consequently, they cannot catch everything. The
methamphetamine is still reaching Bernalillo County.


Goals
1. To Raise awareness and educate our children
2. Eliminate clandestine methamphetamine labs
3. Seize the drug at check points throughout the county


Plan of Action


Step 1 Raising awareness and educating
To help this awareness the county would purchase and setup an attraction bus that
stops at all grade schools in the county. The bus will have a show and tell inside where
the children can interact, have fun, and learn about the dangers of the drug
simultaneously. Having a bus that is state of the art in technology and with interactive
educational aspects will have children willing to participate. If done correctly this is
the first step that will have a direct effect on the drugs in the future.

Step 2 Limiting the ingredients needed
Why limit the key ingredient needed
pseudoephedrine normally known as
Sudafed when it inconveniences the cold
and allergy sufferers. The answer is do not
limit Sudafed and Claritin D or any other
drug containing pseudoephedrine. Do not
card its customers or set monthly limits.
Research has shown that this is not an
effective way to slow the production of
methamphetamine in clandestine labs in Bernalillo County and throughout the nation.
People will always find a way around this to obtain cold medication and extract
pseudoephedrine in order to cook meth. So what do we do to offset this key
ingredient, an ingredient that has legitimate usage? The answer is a new
pseudoephedrine containing drug called Zephrex D. Because of its pasty consistency
this drug cannot be ground up into
powder, the first step needed to make
meth. And more importantly the
pseudoephedrine inside is nearly
impossible to extract; it costs too much to
illegally convert. This is not a viable
solution for meth cooks as stated by Sgt.
Jason Grellner, commander of the Franklin
County narcotics unit. The amount of
methamphetamine that is produced by
domestic clandestine labs is only a small
percentage maybe up to 15%. This will
NOT solve the meth problem but it will
address and solve the clandestine lab
problem.


Step 3 Set up check point in the county and entering points
Since some amount of methamphetamine is still reaching Bernalillo County I
propose additional forces not at the international border but on the Bernalillo county
border. Setting up random checkpoints in the county and on any roads entering the
county with specialized trained dogs to sniff out the drug could help seize more of the
drug. At first these dogs and their handlers will tag along anywhere there is going to
be a sobriety check point and see how much success it receives. Furthermore set up
of random check points in roads coming into the county again with specialized dogs
and have it serve as a double purpose, to be a sobriety check point and as well as an
opportunity to seize the drugs. If the program proves to be effective it can increase
the number of check points and locations every year.

Concluding Cost and benefits
The county will have to supply the full cost of the bus which is estimated at
$300,000.00 and the attractions inside that will cost an estimated $100,000.00 extra.
The bus will be slightly used natural gas public transportation bus this will help keep
the environmental footprint lower than diesel or fuel. A brand new natural gas bus
costs $426,000.00 with depreciation of three years the bus will be right around
$300,000.00. The other $100,000.00 we are using will for gutting the insides of the bus
and remodeling the inside to give it a futuristic feel, this remodeling with cost
$50,000.00 similar to the bus remodeling done at Busforsale.com. The remainder of
the $50,000.00 will be applied to 6-60 4k televisions that will play animations about
the dangers of methamphetamine. The TVs are $3500.00 each that is $21,000.00. The
remaining $29,000.00 will be for gaming laptops and stainless steel appliances. The
laptops will be used to have the kids take interactive quizes at the end of the
presentation; the highest scorers will get a prize. The appliances will be used to give
the children snacks at the end as well. The Operational costs will be approximately
$124.00 per hour when in use. To help pay for the bus, attractions and operational
costs well set up a sponsor program. Given the size of the bus 2000 sponsors names
can be placed at strategic location to raise the funds needed. There will be many
companies that will be willing to sponsor and put their name out there for a good
cause not to mention the free advertisement. The Large decals will cost $25,000.00
each and there will be two one each side. The next will cost $10,000.00 each and will
be the front and back. There will be 100 midsize decals that will cost $1000.00 each.
And the will be 1900 small decals that will cost $100.00. Once the bus is filled with
decals it will bring in $360,000 which is still short of the initial $400,000 investment.
There will also be a webpage where people can donate whatever they wish and that
will be applied to the remaining balance. After a couple a years the bus should be
completely paid off for and the revenue created as a surplus after that will be applied
to expand and make the experience more entreating for the children.
The cost for limiting the pseudoephedrine containing drugs in the county will come
from the tax payers. The cost will only incur that the council set an ordinance in place
that would prohibit the pseudoephedrine drugs that can be ground to a power and
make the extraction of pseudoephedrine easy. The ordinance will encourage drugs like
Zephrex D and any other that may follow in its steps that makes extraction cost
prohibitive and extremely difficult in order to eliminate clandestine methamphetamine
labs and the externalities they create.
The cost of check points will include some overtime to be paid to peace officers. In
addition a drug sniffing dog from Europe will cost $4,500 each there will be two. The
reason we are buying these dogs for Europe is that the bloodline such dogs have
proven to be very effective. The K-9 has another cost of $15,000.00 to train and
another $2,000 to maintain annually. These animals will be housed in kennels with the
other law enforcement dogs for the remainder of their servitude, after that their
handlers can adopt them if they wish. Since sobriety check points are already in place,
there will be another officer and the trained dog at the site to sniff all passing vehicles
in the check point. The random check point will incur more expenses because more
officers will have to present along with flood lights and any other type of equipment
needed to do the job successfully. To pay for all these expenses any and all money
that is confiscated at the check points due to drugs, shall be directly injected into the
law enforcements agencies budget.

Conclusion
The benefits of implementing these boundaries will out weight the cost. There will a
safer, happier and well-educated community. This will be a formula for success. The
children are our future. Lets help them to get pointed in the right direction from an
early age and eliminate all the problems this drug has associated with it. Please take
the initiative to get this project started and funded.

Sources

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-pill-could-solve-missouris-meth-problem/
http://www.wvnstv.com/story/23872443/could-a-new-pill-soon-help-solve-west-virginias-meth-
problems
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/10/11/mexico-cartels-meth/1626383/
http://lancaster.unl.edu/family/methtoxic.shtml
http://publictransport.about.com/od/Transit_Vehicles/a/How-Much-Does-A-Bus-Cost-To-Purchase-
And-Operate.htm
http://www.newser.com/story/28296/us-imports-its-drug-sniffing-dogs-for-4500-each.html
https://web.kennesaw.edu/news/stories/digital-learning-revolution-tour-raises-awareness-mobile-
technology-classrooms
http://www.duiblock.com/dui_checkpoint_locations/new_mexico/
www.vvng.com/tag/dui-check-point/
http://www.juicymaters.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Meth-lab-122.png