Official to speak on dangers of methamphetamines
A senior narcotics agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office will be in Fayette County Wednesday to speak about the dangers of methamphetamines, whether someone is using it or making it. Elaine Surma will speak at a community awareness meeting at 7 p.m. at the Hopwood AMVETS Post 103. She will discuss her work in tracking meth labs throughout the state and trying to shut them down.
The event was planned to alert the community about a growing meth problem locally, according to Jill Burlock, substance abuse prevention coordinator for the Fayette County Drug & Alcohol Commission.
“There have just been some arrests, and we’re trying to be proactive,” she said. “If you look at the trends, it’s a matter of time before we see more and more of it.”
Every year, she said the number of secret labs that are seized has steadily increased, along with the number of users. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, meth is the number one drug used in rural America.
Burlock said the drug is easily addictive and is attractive to young people because meth gives them energy to stay awake for long periods of time.
The drug is easy to manufacture, though making it requires a combination of toxic chemicals, she said. Methamphetamines can be smoked, swallowed, snorted or injected.
“It’s an equal opportunity drug, because it appeals to a variety of users,” Burlock said.
But while the high can be powerful, the side effects can also be dangerous.
Erica Bertovich, substance abuse prevention coordinator, said meth use can leave holes in users’ brains and cause people to become paranoid or violent. Users seeking another high can resort to violent crime to obtain money to pay for more drugs. While the meth problem may not appear to be growing here, she said northwestern Pennsylvania and portions of West Virginia are experiencing an epidemic-like scenario. “This is everyone’s problem, because this really is a case where you can be affected by someone who is using meth or if someone is cooking meth next door to you and their house explodes,” she said.
The commission, Uniontown city police, Uniontown fire department and the Pennsylvania State Police sponsor Wednesday’s event. Along with Surma’s talk, law enforcement and emergency management personnel will also speak about meth’s effects during the meeting.
For more information, contact Bertovich or Burlock at 724-628-9010 extension 121.