Aug. 25, 2000
Methamphetamine has had a drastic affect on many Utah families during the past five years.
Tens of thousands of adults and teens are now addicted, and their children are innocent victims taken into state custody.
News Specialist Jed Boal has the story.
Our community is trying to combat meth on several fronts-- in the courts and in counseling.
There are few winners in this battle, and innocent children are the losers in growing numbers.
Three months ago, a toddler swallowed a caustic chemical used to make meth while he and his mother were visiting this home in Murray.
The substance burned the boy's esophagus, stomache and mouth, and doctors found methamphetamine in his system.
The boy's mother says she feeds him through a tube. He will need several year's of treatment to recover.
Police say Stacey Stubbs was operating a meth lab and left the chemicals in the child's reach.
He's been charged with felony child endangerment, a new law enacted in May, but police cannot find him.
Jerry Campbell/Chief Deputy District Attorney: THIS IS THE FIRST BECAUSE THIS CHILD SUFFERED SERIOUS BODILY INJURY. IT'S NOT A FIRST IN TERMS OF CHILDREN BEING SUBJECTED TO THESE CONDITIONS IN SALT LAKE CITY.
Child and Family Services witnesses that destructive mark of meth.
Carol Sisco/DCFS Spokesperson: THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES BECAUSE OF METH AND IT'S GETTING WORSE ALL THE TIME.
In fact, of all Salt Lake area children placed in foster care, 60 percent of the time meth is to blame.
The director of the state Division of Substance Abuse tries to help the parents get clean and reunite them with their children.
He says meth admissions are soaring, and the number of women addicts is alarming.
Pat Fleming/Director-Div. of Substance Abuse: GENERALLY ANY WOMAN ADMITTED TO TREATMENT IS GOING TO HAVE TWO OR THREE KIDS. WHEN SHE'S IN TREATMENT, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE KIDS? WHEN THEY'RE USING DRUGS, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE KIDS?
But, he says women are recovering and in many cases the children are the incentive.
Pat Fleming/Director-Div. of Substance Abuse: ONCE THEY GET INTO TREATMENT IS IT EASY? NO. BUT, IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE REUNIFIED WITH THEIR CHILDREN, IT'S WONDERFUL.
Drug agents are making a dent in the number of labs.
Lawmakers and the courts are getting tougher.
But, there's still a severe shortage in available treatment for addicts.
