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The Many Faces of Meth: |
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(Source: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office - Faces of Meth™) |
Flavored Meth Worries
National news reports have highlighted concerns about drug dealers adding kid-friendly flavorings to methamphetamine, but actual incident reports about such concoctions have been sketchy, at best.
The Emporia (Kan.) Gazette reported May 18 that reports of so-called "strawberry" meth originated in Carson City, Nev., where a police informant purchased pink meth from a dealer.
"He purchased it. He brought it back to us and said the guy called it 'strawberry meth,'" said Sgt. Darrin Sloan of the city's Special Enforcement Team. "When I looked at it, I'd never seen anything like it. I don't know how they did it ... My own thoughts were, once this hits the streets, it's just more attractive to the kids."
However, that was the only case of colored meth reported in Carson City. The report led to the Nevada Department of Public Safety issuing a statewide warning, which in turn was circulated nationally via e-mail.
Reports of flavored meth then surfaced in Arkansas. But officials there later said that police who raided a meth lab only found packages of strawberry flavored drink mix in the trash.
"What we're telling everybody is that this is not a problem in our area yet," said Chris Harrison of the Arkansas Crime Laboratory. "It has not been seen enough to really be considered any kind of trend. We just have some anecdotal evidence that it might be coming into Arkansas."
"Drug dealers have consistently marketed their drugs any way they can, using flavorings and colors, different kinds of candies, ever since they've been selling drugs" Harrison added. "People think they're getting something new and they'll maybe be more likely to buy it from you rather than someone else."
But Harrison added, "We've had a couple of colored drugs but nothing that really seems to be flavored."
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