PRESENTATION TO DISCUSS DANGERS OF METH AND HUFFING

RACINE - Methamphetamines, huffing and other risky behaviors will be
discussed at the Wednesday night Public Protection and Justice System
Committee meeting at the Racine Public Library.

While the highly addictive drug also known as meth has yet to appear
on a wide scale in Racine County, officials hope the discussion will
bring awareness to a problem other communities are struggling to

contain.

The topic is part of a series of presentations by the Racine County
Board on emerging community issues.

"They're issues that affect the teens and the students in our
community," said committee Vice Chairman Mark Gleason. "We don't want
to see any tragedies befall any of our

students."

He said the threat of widespread methamphetamine abuse is one people
are worried about.

"The meth problem can be a terrible, terrible problem," he said.
"That is a drug that is pure poison. It's much different than heroin,
cocaine or marijuana use.

"It's really a serious issue. We hope it never affects us here in
Racine. We have to have both eyes open to know it's a serious issue out there."

Sheriff's Department Sgt. Don Wheeler will make a presentation on
methamphetamine abuse, outlining the risks of a drug that, if it
takes hold in Racine County, could affect many areas of the community.

Meth, like crack and other amphetamines, speeds the body up, Wheeler
said. It can be smoked, snorted or injected, and has a more intense
and longer-lasting high than crack cocaine.

"It's a very addictive drug," Wheeler said. "It's probably 10 times
more addictive than crack. Then there's all the social and economic
problems that go with it. Child abuse, child neglect, theft. It's the
same thing that comes with other drug abuses. It just seems more
accelerated and greater with meth."

The drug has yet to take hold in Racine County, Wheeler said, but the
department is trying to prepare for when it does.

Gleason said the presentation topics grew out of earlier committee
meetings in other parts of the county. By making the information
available to people in different Racine County communities, Gleason
hopes that people with information about how these issues are
affecting them will come forward.

"We like to be able to put the programs on to give awareness of the
problem," Gleason said. "We do want to have input from the public so
we have a better idea of what's going on."

Tackling these emerging issues before they take root in Racine County
is important, Gleason said.

"If we get rid of the problem at a younger age, you don't have a
problem later on," he said. "We deal with juvenile detention, truancy
and alternatives to incarceration. Where can we stem the tide of some of this?"