Oregon meth-related deaths jump 22 percent in 2010, most in a decade

[Ferret Annica]

Source: Oregonian

Methamphetamine-related deaths in Oregon jumped 22 percent in 2010, claiming 106 lives -- the most in a single year over the last decade, according to statistics from the state medical examiner.

Although Oregon successfully wiped out local manufacture of methamphetamine after the state adopted tight restrictions on ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, that's not the case in other Western states. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are the ingredients in cold medicine used to make meth.

And since Mexico banned pseudophedrine four years ago, Mexican drug trafficking organizations are now manufacturing the drug in California, Arizona, Nevada and Washington.

"They can't make the good stuff in Mexico, so they're making the good stuff back in America," said Rob Bovett, Lincoln County District Attorney, who serves as legal counsel to the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association and had chaired Oregon's Meth Task Force.


Read more: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/05/meth-related_deaths_jump_22_pe_1.html

---

I have had many friends and former co-workers die from this scourge. I had my wallet stolen and would up in jail twice because of identity theft. It was traced to a career criminal/crankster gangster who is from a career criminal family who has done it all as far as crimes go.

Pseudophedrine should be banned outright. I don't care what you do, they will up the effort to get what makes them very good money and do what it takes to stay in business. I know some would suffer syndromes medications made with it ease or stop making an illness much more tolerable.

But considering the devastating cost in human lives and resources this toxic filth substance causes, we have to be smart and recognize the limits of interdiction of people willing to risk life or limb to get this stuff, it's better not having it around.

We need to get off the anti-cannabis kick, regulate and tax it and move on to using these scarce law enforcement resources wasted on interdiction of something not needing that sort of focus. Declare all out war on Meth manufacture and use.

Sorry for the rant, but I see what it does everyday in some people around me, and I miss those I know who I will never see again because they got into this. This is one substance I am profoundly glad I never even have sampled. It is the kiss of death.