While it might seem obvious to many people in Kalamazoo, Michigan, that methamphetamine manufacturing is a dangerous task, those who are caught in the cycle of addiction are willing to take the risks needed to make more of the drugs.
A recent survey conducted by the Associated Press describes that danger, and it uses a study conducted right here in Kalamazoo as a jumping-off point. The study shows that patients who are burned during the process of cooking meth take much longer to heal and their hospitalization costs are significantly higher than other burn victims. And though the numbers are high, they might even be higher because many people who are injured in meth explosions often do not tell the truth about how they were hurt.
In recent years, the preponderance of a new procedure to manufacture meth, the so-called one-pot method, has only increased the danger. In contrast to potentially avoidable explosions that might come from a cooking appliance like a stove, the damage can be quite grave when people use this method, which involves the chemicals being combined in a two-liter soda bottle. Because people might be holding the bottles at the time of explosion, damage can be intense and concentrated. One police officer likened the effect to holding a flame-thrower.
Adding to the issue is that many of these patients who are injured are often uninsured. In addition to the potential for long prison sentences, the danger of meth production can literally add injury to insult. Anyone who is facing charges involving meth production or possession should contact an attorney with experience in this area of drug crimes defense.
Source: Kalamazoo Gazette, “Report: Kalamazoo study referenced in report on high cost of meth burns,” Rosemary Parker, Jan. 23, 2012
