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Body of the Proposal
Purpose:
T o propose a solution to the high level of Methamphetamine use in the City of Salem. The city is inundated with illegal drugs, and users , which is causing a chaotic and problematic situation for its citizens.
Problem:
The City of Salem is experiencing a serious methamphetamine (meth) epidemic with an estimated 8,000-9,000 meth addicts in the city. This situation did not arise overnight rather it has been steadily growing for the past fifteen years. Methamphetamine addiction and along with H.I.V. and Aids related deaths have become a fact of life for devastated inner city communities, and more recently working class suburbs from West and South Salem.
Methamphetamine addiction is prevalent within disadvantage and poverty stricken neighborhoods within the city. The communities where it has taken hold are precisely those which have been abandoned economically and socially by the state for several decades now. While Salem is said to be experiencing an economic boom, it appears that some working class communities have been written off and left to struggle with the inevitable decline into drug addiction and crime.
The drug epidemic has led to the formation of the Concerned Parents Against Drugs (CPAD) which took direct action against drug dealers, driving them out of some of the communities they had turned into a living hell for the residents. Unfortunately there were problems with some of the tactics used by CPAD more specifically they degenerated into self-appointed gangs running personal vendettas. The anti-Methamphetamine movement was used as a cover to attack innocent individuals with no involvement in drug dealing.
In the past the CPAD were successful in forcing the state to respond to the drugs crisis, by imprisoning some of the most notorious Methamphetamine dealers in the city. The state succeeded in smashing the anti-drugs movement by criminalizing leading activists and imprisoning them after trials in the Special Criminal Court. Similar tactics are being used this time around.
This time however, things are much more complicated. Entire family units are affected by the addiction to Methamphetamine, and the drug culture that has taken hold of some inner city communities. Children at a very young age have become too familiar with the business of addiction and Methamphetamine related sickness and death. H.I.V infection and death from Aids related illness have affected a large number of inner city sons and daughters, brothers and sisters have died, entire communities continue to be affected by grief and loss.
Methamphetamine addiction is viewed as a working class phenomenon. It is also confined in Salem , to specific clearly identified communities and within them particular extended families are suffering disproportionately. The whole fabric of these communities has been dramatically damaged by the Methamphetamine epidemic. Crime levels are out of control, Methamphetamine and other opiates are very easily available and openly sold.
The 300 plus bed hospital in Salem is full on a daily basis with patients suffering from drugs related illnesses. The Women's and Children's Neonatology floor is full of babies born with positive drug tests. This phenomenon has always been prevalent for inner city and poor working class communities however this epidemic has made its existence very clear to most citizens in this area. Since the first big anti-Methamphetamine meeting in August, there have been regular meetings attended by upwards of one thousand individuals.
A large number of Methamphetamine users are very young, according to a 2003 report by the Oregon State Office of Mental Health and Addiction more than 1,700 children were treated that year meth, misuse, of that number more 1000, were girls. The City of Salem is believed has the youngest Methamphetamine using population in Oregon , many are in their early teens., As stated earlier in this article Methamphetamine addiction is class based, confined almost totally to marginalized working class communities. Methamphetamine addiction is fatal in far too many cases, meth caused fality is second only to heroin in the state of Oregon , according to the state medical eaximer Dr. Karen Gunson (http://www.salem-news.com/articles/may162008/drug_deaths_051608.php).
The abuse of methamphetamine - a potent psycho stimulant - is an extremely serious and growing problem. Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant associated with serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior, and potential heart and brain damage; it also contributes to increased transmission of hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.
What is methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. The drug is made easily in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. These factors combine to make methamphetamine a drug with high potential for widespread abuse.
Methamphetamine is commonly known as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." In its smoked form it is often referred to as "ice," "crystal," "crank," and "glass." It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. The drug was developed early in this century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Methamphetamine's chemical structure is similar to that of amphetamine, but it has more pronounced effects on the central nervous system. Like amphetamine, it causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being.
The effects of methamphetamine can last 6 to 8 hours. After the initial "rush," there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder, and -- for short-term use - obesity, but these medical uses are limited. (serenitylane.org)
Meth as it relates to Salem, Oregon
Per S. Maurreen S, Staff Writer, a 25 year old named Jewel Imperial, died in September 2007, five days after she started taking methadone for back pain. Methadone, long prescribed as an alternative to heroin, is proving to be a hazard of its own.
As a treatment for addiction, methadone is considered an effective tool. But as its use as a low-cost pain reliever becomes more widespread, a growing number of people are dying from methadone overdoses. Methadone contributed to 299 fatal overdoses in the state in 2005, the latest year with national data available. The number of such deaths has more than quintupled from 47 in 1999.
A state report indicates that from 1997 to 2001, at least a third of North Carolina victims had been prescribed methadone for pain relief. Now, North Carolina is tied with Oregon in having the seventh-highest rate of fatal methadone-related overdoses, according to figures from the National Center for Health Statistics. In 2005, North Carolina had about twice the national rate of such overdoses. "The problem is so huge, you don't know where to begin," said Mary Haynes, a substance abuse counselor in Western North Carolina. ( S. Maureen Skowran)
Solution:
The Mayor of Salem should consider education to include mature dialogue, and real statistics about the city's drug problem to better inform our citizens of this on going issue. Keep in mind that the high-level drug dealers aren't cluttering up our prisons; they're too rich and smart to get caught. They hire addicts or kids, sometimes as young as eleven or twelve, to take most of the risks that result in confinement.
We need consistent, open dialogue in order to address these issues with individuals, our families, and our communities. At the same time, we must press for changes in drug laws. I'm not advocating that we "legalize" all drugs, because it's not that simple. But we should consider "decriminalize" or reducing the sentence associated with their use, and treating the problem as the public-health issue it is. Doing so would have tremendous benefits. Without drug offenders, our prisons would have more than enough room to hold all the dangerous criminals. As a result, we wouldn't need to build a single new prison, saving us some $5 billion a year. And if we spent a fraction of that money on rehabilitation centers and community revitalization programs, we'd begin to put drug dealers out of business in the only way that will last -by drying up their market. (Bo Lozoff)
I would also like to suggest that the government implements the following plans of actions immediately. Work with our federal partners, both in terms of new legislation and additional financial support for law enforcement. Do everything possible to protect children, who are often innocent victims of meth use and production. This includes updating laws governing child abuse by meth users. The law should specify that cooking meth around kids is child abuse, plain and simple.
Make pills containing pseudoephedrine, the drug essential to producing meth, harder to obtain by placing them behind pharmacy counters and requiring buyers to show Ids and sign a log to get them. An Oklahoma law imposing such restrictions has produced tremendously positive results, including an 80 percent reduction in meth lab seizures. This is the single, most effective step a state can take to fight meth. Legislation to accomplish this has been introduced in 27 states. Most of these proposed laws would limit the purchase of pseudoephedrine to 9 grams (about 300 tablets) within a 30-day period.
Mount a broad-based, grass roots prevention campaign to inform both adults and children on the dangers of meth use. In this campaign, the AGs will build coalitions with other law enforcement agencies and community organizations, including schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, service clubs, pediatricians and behavioral health professionals.
Pursue a comprehensive, aggressive approach that addresses prevention through education, vigorous law enforcement and treatment of meth addiction. Step up efforts to intercept meth supplies coming from Mexico and so-called "super labs." Once the number of small meth labs within each state has been reduced, more law enforcement resources can be directed toward cutting off these outside sources of meth.
Rose Marie Chaperon works a Director of Revenue Cycle for healthcare operations. Rose-Marie's experience is process improvement and redisigning patient access and patient financial services areas. Rose Marie is an exceptional A/R guru and has held many Business Office and Patient Financial Services positions throughout her twenty year tenure in revenue cycle. She is a very proactive leader and the kind of person who can direct a group of people towards their goals. Rose Marie has experience with a variety of software systems and led three hospital through a system conversion during her assignments there. She holds a Bachelor's in Healthcare Management and is pursuing her MBA. She also is a Certified Healthcare Access Manager (CHAM).
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