Key Topics 
Arizona Meth Project
What is Meth?
How Meth is Made
Medical Impact of Meth
Environmental Impact of Meth
How to Recognize a Meth Lab
What to Do if You Suspect or Know of a Meth Lab
Applicable Laws for Prosecution
Methamphetamine, or meth, is a powerful, long-acting, physical and psychological stimulant drug that is highly addictive. In its finished form, meth usually appears as a powdery substance in a variety of colors and is sold in pill form, capsules, powder and crystals. It may omit a chemical smell or it may be odorless. Meth can be swallowed, smoked, snorted and injected. In its crystal form, meth is inhaled by smoking. Meth is known by a variety of street names, including speed, crank, vitamin C, go-fast and chalk. In its crystal form, it is sometimes referred to as ice, crystal and glass. Although criminal drug trafficking organizations and gangs control a significant amount of the production and distribution of meth, in recent years small clandestine drug laboratories operated by individuals and small groups have increased the drug's production and availability.
Meth is made in drug laboratories that vary from those that look like chemistry labs to small home-based labs set up in kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, garages and outbuildings. Drug labs have also been discovered in businesses, houseboats, mini storage units, car trunks, hotel/motel rooms and backpacks. No matter how sophisticated they appear, these drug labs have one purpose – to make illegal drugs, usually meth – secretly, quickly and cheaply.
Meth is made through a cooking process that requires heating materials that are toxic, caustic, corrosive, flammable and explosive. To make meth, precursor substances such as pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, commonly found in over-the-counter cold and diet medicines, are modified by adding more chemicals to make a chemical reaction. A solvent is added to the chemical mixture to extract the meth from waste by-product. Bubbling an acidic gas through the dissolved meth forms meth crystals. Many of the individuals who make meth (cooks) have little, if any, knowledge of chemistry and often operate under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Their lack of chemical knowledge, combined with their drug and alcohol use and the mixture of harmful chemicals they use without adequate safety equipment, explain the common occurrence of meth lab fires, explosions and toxic poisonings.
Meth modifies the brain's pleasure receptors by producing excess levels of dopamine, a natural chemical found in the brain. The excess dopamine produced by meth usually allows users to experience a fairly rapid but brief rush, followed by a longer period of euphoria. Following the period of euphoric sensation is the crash – a longer period of lethargy, depression, paranoia and even violent or aggressive behavior. With prolonged use, a meth user's ability to experience normal levels of pleasure declines and is replaced by extreme boredom with normal day-to-day activities. It is this scenario that makes meth a highly addictive drug that creates powerful cravings in the user.
Signs that someone may be using meth include:
- increased heart rate, blood pressure and respiration
- excessive sweating
- flushed, tense or anxious appearance
- high levels of energy
- nervousness
- incessant talking
- chemical odor on the breath
- rapid speech
- dilated pupils
- bloodshot eyes
- extreme moodiness and irritability
- false sense of confidence or power
- severe depression
- disinterest in previously enjoyed activities
- repetitious behavior such as picking skin or pulling hair
- poor hygiene
- an inability to sleep or eat
Long-term meth use can cause permanent and severe physical and psychological problems, including severe weight loss, rotting teeth, scars and open sores, a variety of cardiovascular problems, convulsions and hallucinations. Meth-induced paranoia can result in homicidal and suicidal thoughts. Using brain imaging techniques, scientists have found that damage done to the dopamine neurons by long-time meth use remained for as long as three years after meth use was stopped. Much remains to be learned about the long-term effects of using meth.
You do not have to be a meth user to be affected by meth. The manufacture of meth presents a substantial risk of injury and even death to those who live in or near drug labs. Chemicals found in these labs can enter the body through inhalation of gases produced by the manufacturing process. The acidic gases released in meth production can immediately cause second- or third-degree burns of the skin and extreme pain and even death if inhaled. Meth lab chemicals can be absorbed through contact with the skin, a danger that occurs both from cooking meth and from storing chemical ingredients. The effects of taking these toxic materials into the body through inhalation or absorption may be temporary or permanent, immediate or delayed, mild or severe, and can injure the lungs and skin, liver and kidneys and the nervous system. Eating contaminated foods and beverages, or placing contaminated objects such as containers or toys in the mouth, leads to ingestion of these dangerous chemicals. Ingestion of some of the chemicals used to make meth can cause psychosis, seizures and, in high doses, death. Young children, because they crawl and play on the floor and put their hands and other objects into their mouths, are at a much greater risk than adults for ingestion and absorption of these chemicals. Children's different metabolic processes, including more rapid respiration and higher metabolic and growth rates, also place them at an increased risk of chemical exposure from inhaled, absorbed and ingested toxins.
Meth manufacturing is an environmental nightmare. Environmental concerns are associated both with the meth cooking process and the storage of the many chemicals used to make meth. For every pound of meth that is made, five to six pounds of waste are generated. Those who make meth often dispose of waste by flushing it down toilets, putting it into the trash, dumping it on the ground, pouring it into waterways and leaving it in hotels or public storage facilities. Waste materials from the drug making process, as well as contaminated glass and equipment, can be explosive, flammable, toxic and, in some concentrations, lethal. Without proper disposal and cleanup, toxic waste from the meth manufacturing process can remain present and active for years. Unsuspecting victims who live in dwellings formerly used as drug labs are among those at greatest risk of long-term exposure because the vapors involved in manufacturing meth are absorbed by wall and floor surfaces, and the chemical ingredients may remain on floors and countertops long after a drug lab has been dismantled. These leftover chemicals cannot be removed by normal cleaning.
Detailed information on exposure to a meth lab environment may be found within Chemical Exposures Associated with Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratories.
After the investigation of a meth lab is complete, the gross contamination, including chemicals and lab waste, is removed from the site. In the five years ending December 31, 2004, law enforcement agencies have conducted over 1,300 meth lab and meth lab related seizures. The removal of gross contamination associated with those seizures has cost over $3.9 million. Some of the cost of gross contamination removal is recovered through restitution, but often the cost is passed on to the taxpayer.
As of July 1, 2003, those who sell property are required by Arizona law to inform prospective buyers if a property has been used to manufacture methamphetamine, ecstasy or LSD. They are also required to hire a drug laboratory site remediation firm that is registered with the State Board of Technical Registration, pursuant to A.R.S. § 32-122.03, to remediate the property of residual contamination. Until the site is properly cleaned, it is unlawful for any person other than the owner, landlord or manager to enter the property (see A.R.S. § 12-1000). Clean-up requirements and an approved list of drug remediation firms can be found at the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. The owner is liable for the costs incurred to remediate the property of residual contamination, even if the owner had no knowledge of the criminal activity at the property. The cost of hiring a drug lab site remediation firm will vary depending on the extent of damage to a property, the length of time drugs were being manufactured, the types of chemicals used in the cooking process, and other property factors such as asbestos, lead paint, water damage or mold. In areas of high contamination, generally all porous materials such as carpet, bedding, upholstered furniture and related items will be removed and disposed. All stained materials from the laboratory operations, including sheet rock, wood furniture, wood flooring and tile flooring, will be removed and disposed. In areas not highly suggestive of contamination, all materials will be cleaned to meet the post remediation testing requirements. Owners can expect the costs of remediation for minimal damage to range from $500 to $5,000. More extensive damage can cost well over $10,000.
Meth labs are dangerous to those who live in them. They also present dangers to law enforcement, safety and utility workers, as well as to delivery persons, neighbors and door-to-door solicitors who may unexpectedly come across them. Of the many signs of illegal drug manufacturing, some are more obvious than others. Watch for these signs as an alert to a possible drug lab:
- Strong chemical smells like fuel or ammonia
- Laboratory equipment, including glass tubing, beakers/flasks, Bunsen burners, funnels and large plastic containers
- Windows covered with plastic, foil, wood, tarps or other materials
- Hoses hanging from windows
- \ An unusual number of cook stoves, hot plates or blow torches
- Melted pots and pans
- Bottles in a refrigerator or freezer where fluids and solids have been separated
- Evidence of large quantities of cold medication and non-prescription weight loss products that contain pseudoephedrine or ephedrine, the basic ingredient in meth
- Large quantities of chemical cans or drums in the yard (e.g., Drano, iodine crystals, Red Devil Lye, pool acid with no pool present, antifreeze in a hot climate)
- Large quantities of kitty litter, used to trap toxic gases
- People standing outside only long enough to smoke
- Automobile or foot traffic at all hours of the day and night
- Heavily barred windows or doors on houses or outbuildings
- Surveillance cameras and audio listening devices
- New high fences with no visible signs of animals
- Orange-brown or rust colored stains on walls, floors, counter tops, bathtubs and sinks
- Dismantled smoke detectors
What to Do if You Suspect or Know of a Meth Lab
Your knowledge and quick action can assist law enforcement personnel in closing down dangerous drug labs and preventing serious injuries and deaths of innocent children. If you have reason to suspect the manufacturing of meth, especially where children may be involved, please call 911, or contact your local law enforcement office immediately and provide them with a detailed description of what you observed that made you think a meth lab may be operating. If possible, provide the name of the suspects, their address and license plate numbers. Remember, meth labs are very dangerous, so keep your distance. Danger may be present not only from the toxic and combustible chemicals used to make meth, but those involved in its illegal production may use firearms, explosives and booby traps to protect the secrecy of their operation. Touching drug lab chemicals or breathing their fumes can cause sickness, permanent injury and even death. Actions such as knocking over a container, lighting a cigarette or switching on electrical equipment may be enough to trigger an explosion. Uncovering and investigating meth labs are some of the most dangerous situations encountered by law enforcement personnel. Initially, investigating officers were poorly prepared for handling exposure to meth lab toxins, resulting in injuries and illness. Today, meth lab investigators have extensive training and are required to wear protective gear before entering a suspected drug lab.
Applicable Laws for Prosecution
Terry Goddard, State Rep. Tom O'Halleran Applaud New Law
Senate Bill 1427
A number of laws, including drug laws, environmental laws and, where children are involved, child abuse laws, apply to the operation of meth labs. Like many other states, Arizona law holds that methamphetamine production is an inherently dangerous crime and carries stiff criminal penalties. Manufacturing dangerous drugs in the presence of children, especially young children, can dramatically increase the penalties incurred from the drug charges.
In July 2000, Arizona’s child abuse law, A.R.S. § 13-3623, was expanded to add a provision that provides a presumption of endangerment when children or vulnerable adults are found at meth labs. This addition to Arizona law essentially creates strict liability when a person places a child in a location where a meth lab exists.
Child Abuse Law
A.R.S. § 13-3623(C) provides: For the purposes of subsections A and B of this section, the terms endangered and abuse include but are not limited to circumstances in which a child or vulnerable adult is permitted to enter or remain in any structure or vehicle in which volatile, toxic or flammable chemicals are found or equipment is possessed by any person for the purpose of manufacturing a dangerous drug in violation of A.R.S. § 13-3407, subsection A, paragraph 4.
Environmental Law
Effective July 1, 2003, A.R.S. § 12-1000 indirectly supports the child abuse law. In summary, this law makes it unlawful for any person other than the owner, landlord or manager to enter the property where dangerous drugs were being manufactured until it is cleaned of residual contamination by a state approved drug laboratory site remediation firm. This law ensures that DES CPS will not be returning a child to a residence that operated as a drug lab, at least until it is determined safe by strict standards. This law also protects the public, who knowingly or otherwise would become residents of a former drug lab where residual contamination from the manufacturing of dangerous drugs remained.
Drug Law
A.R.S. § 13-712, Sentence for certain drug offenses
A. A person who stands convicted of a violation of section 13-3407, subsection A, paragraph 2, 3, 4 or 7 involving methamphetamine shall be sentenced to a presumptive term of ten calendar years. The presumptive term imposed pursuant to this subsection may be mitigated or aggravated by up to five years pursuant to section 13-702, subsections C and D.
B. A person who stands convicted of a violation of section 13-3407, subsection A, paragraph 2, 3, 4 or 7 involving methamphetamine and who has previously been convicted of a violation of section 13-3407, subsection A, paragraph 2, 3, 4 or 7 involving methamphetamine or section 13-3407.01 shall be sentenced to a presumptive term of fifteen calendar years. The presumptive term imposed pursuant to this subsection may be mitigated or aggravated by up to five years pursuant to section 13-702, subsections C and D.
A.R.S. § 13-3401, Drug Offenses, Definitions, provides definitions for drugs and substances and other related terminology, including the definition for manufacture.
A.R.S. § 13-3404.01, Possession or sale of precursor chemicals, regulated chemicals, substances or equipment: exceptions and classifications defines the class of felony related to precursor chemicals and related items. Pseudoephedrine is a precursor chemical to the manufacture of methamphetamine.
A.R.S. § 13-3407, Possession, use, administration, acquisition, sale, manufacture or transportation of dangerous drugs; classification, defines the class of felony for a variety of drug related crimes.
To see the full text of Arizona Revised Statutes, go to the Arizona Legislative Information System ALIS ONLINE.