Living next door to a meth lab

For most of my time in the big city I lived in a condo. Our condo was a corner unit which meant I only had one direct neighbor, that is, a 2X6 and a couple sheets of drywall apart. For years I never met the woman who lived next door, there was only an occasional wave as we passed each other as we entered or departed from our adjoining garages.

How different living in Boundary County where we sometimes live acres or hundreds of yards apart. One of the scourges we share with city dwellers, however, is the possibility of living next door to a meth lab.

Methamphetamine is a very addictive and powerful stimulant, usually made in clandestine home labs or outbuildings. When a meth lab moves into a neighborhood crime goes up. Meth users and meth cookers steal to support their habit. After your property is stolen it is usually pawned, sold or traded for pennies on the real value, rarely returned to its original owner. (Take pictures, write down your serial numbers PLEASE!)

Because of mood and personality changes caused by the drug use, incidents of domestic violence and child abuse also rise. Children living in homes where labs exist are prone to exposure to the dangerous chemicals used in the drug’s manufacture, injection needles and the drugs themselves.

Meth manufacturing leaves behind toxic and dangerous waste products that may simply be poured onto the ground in the backyard of the residence. These waste products release toxic fumes and contain dangerous acids and solvents.

Telltale signs to look for: Noxious odors, excessive traffic at odd hours, chemical containers, exhaust fans running continuously, large purchases of precursors — acetone, Drano, matches, batteries, large quantities of cold sinus tablets, filthy living conditions- no visible means of support, darkened or sealed windows, users who go long periods without sleep or eating, hyperactivity, agitation, aggression, paranoia, open sores, weight loss, injection sites, tooth loss, or body odor.

Don’t enter a house or building to confirm your suspicions. An active lab is very flammable and explosive, it will have a designated ‘hot zone’ wherein the drug and chemicals can be directly absorbed into the skin. You don’t want your shoes to pick up the chemical residue and track it back into your own house.

If you see, smell or taste something unusual contact the Drug Task Force through the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office at 208-267-3151. Your call can be kept confidential. It’s our neighborhoods and the safety of our kids, pets and family. Be a good neighbor.