Welcome to the Ron Gardner Meth Coalition Project's website.  You'll find everything you need to know to play a role in helping our communities in South Central Nebraska fight meth and win, or, as we like to say, to Rise Above Meth. 

Whether you are seeking to learn about meth and its effects, or trying to help someone you care about to deal with a meth addiction, we hope to provide the information, resources, and guidance you need to be successful in your endeavor. 

May is Meth Awareness Month

May 2009 has been declared Meth Awareness Month is Hastings, Adams County, and the surrounding areas.  What does this mean?  The Ron Gardner Meth Coalition Project, a grassroots program, serving Adams, Clay, Nuckulls, and Webster counties in South Central Nebraska is working towards its mission to wipe out meth from our communities.  One way to do that is to raise awareness. 

Although, we’ve been doing this since 2005, meth is still a problem in our community.  Just last month, a 13 year old Hastings male was hospitalized after using a substance believed to be methamphetamine.  In fact, it was black flag methamphetamine, meth laced with a pesticide. 

Meth Awareness Month is in part, a challenge to you…a challenge to do your part!

What can you do?  Educate yourself; find out what it is and what it does and then educate others…your children, your neighbors, etc.  Education is fundamental to substance abuse prevention.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that affects the brain.  It can come by many names such as meth, ice, speed, crystal, crank, tweak, go-fast, glass, uppers.  Slang terms for meth tend to describe either the way the methamphetamine looks or the way it makes a user feel. It can come in a crystal, powder or pill form or mixed with a liquid.  Meth can be smoked, injected, inhaled, or taken orally.

Methamphetamine is most often made from the base ingredient pseudoephedrine, found in cold medicines like Sudafed.  Other common chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine are red phosphorus, ethyl ether, petroleum products, lithium, iodine, sodium hydroxide, rubbing alcohol, sulfuric acid, and muriatic acid.  Remember, methamphetamine does not come with a label…so you do not really know what you are putting into your body.  The risk of using methamphetamine even just one time can be death. 

            Methamphetamine works by changing the brain chemistry, affecting the neurotransmitter dopamine.  Dopamine is the feel good transmitter that tells you when something is good.  After extended use the brain no longer responds to dopamine.  Meth use causes long periods of no sleep, followed by a crash (long periods of sleep).  Meth affects physical, mental, and emotional health.  The effects of meth are too many to list here, but can include:

·         Paranoia

·         Hallucinations

·         Memory loss

·         Aggressive or violent behavior

·         Extreme weight loss

·         Depression

·         Brain damage

·         Tooth decay

·         Sores

This editorial has provided a brief look at what meth is and its destructive nature, but there is more to know.  Join the Ron Gardner Meth Coalition this Thursday, May 14^th at 7:00 pm, for the RISE Above Meth presentation on the third floor of the Hastings Police Station.  The presentation will feature the Meth360 program, the RISE Above Meth documentary, and a presentation by the Hastings Police Department.  For more information visit the meth coalition website www.riseabovemeth.org.