The Vince Carter Sanctuary, a private drug rehabilitation center, in Bunnell, Florida offers a safe and effective treatment environment to individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, offering the latest comprehensive programs, Medically Supervised Detox, Residential, Partial/Day and Intensive Outpatient Programs.

In the past, crystal meth was cooked or manufactured in remote rural locations. The labs used to create the drug were often in trailer homes or residences outside of metropolitan areas. Not so anymore, Crystal Meth has become more prevalent in urban areas and more populated regions bringing the labs closer to the consumer/addict. There has been a two-fold increase in meth labs seized in major metropolitan cities.

Also, the criminals have designed a new manufacturing technique for making crystal meth in a single plastic bottle. Now a batch of dope can be turned out in 30 minutes using a 2 liter soda bottle in a way similar to a cocktail shaker. But shaking a volatile mix of pseudoephedrine and other ingredients is inviting an explosion and can result in fires and death. Drugs can be made in vehicles, backpacks and in apartments.

Methamphetamine lab seizures in North Florida are 70% higher this year than in all of 2010. Whenever a lab is seized law enforcement treats the area as a Hazmat area. Basically, the apartments, homes or vehicles where the manufacturing process took place is condemned or destroyed. The fumes and toxins are absorbed by the carpets and drywall. Nationally, 6,768 meth labs were seized in 2010, compared to 6,032 the year before, according to the National Drug Threat Assessment by the Department of Justice.

Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive drug. The users of the drug can stay up for days and have high levels of energy followed by deep paranoia and making them fearful of everyone. Methamphetamine users have been known to dismantle TV’s, stereo’s and computers to thwart the extreme paranoia. The drug is ravaging on the addict.

The drug replaces the reward system in the brain, causing the release of large quantities of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which produces sensations of pleasure, hunger, energy and sexual arousal. Abuse of methamphetamine causes decayed teeth, skin lesions (acne), stroke, heart attack as well as paranoia, hallucinations, anxiety and irritability (anger).  Aggressiveness, violence and isolation are some behavior symptoms.

Users are buying pseudoephedrine, an over the counter medication, in groups and it is called "smurfing”. Two states Oregon and Mississippi have reclassified pseudoephredine and ephedrine as prescription only drugs. In both states, there has been a significant decrease of meth lab seizures.

 Should we reclassify these medications to Prescription Only?

Here at the Vince Carter Sanctuary we offer a medically supervised detox, Residential Treatment, Partial/Day Treatment followed by our Intensive Outpatient Program. If you know someone suffering from a Methamphetamine addiction please call 800 478 0331 or go to www.vincecartersanctuary.org and fill out the contact box for more information.