Methamphetamine, better known as "meth." It's the new illegal drug of choice, although it was cooked and frequently used by some of the motorcycle gangs of the 1960s and 70s.

Myths about meth abound - especially how it's made and its effects. Cooking meth is very dangerous, not only to the cooker but to anyone in close proximity to the process. Depending on the method, meth can be prepared in as little as an hour or as long as 18-24 hours.

The gases produced by cooking meth are carcinogens, teratogens and poisonous. They are heavier than air and sink to the floor during the cooking process. This makes them especially dangerous to children/toddlers who breathe in the gases at that level.

The equipment used to cook meth is usually unsophisticated and often dangerous. The ingredients for cooking it can be found in most homes. That's what's so scary.

A pack or two of an over-the-counter allergy medication, a coffee filter or two, some Epsom salt on the counter, a couple of packs of batteries and just a couple more ingredients are all that's needed to cook a batch of homemade meth.

Those gases from the cooking process stick around for awhile, contaminating everything and everybody that comes in contact with it. Adults who cook meth and use it make the choice to breathe in the fumes, but children don't have a choice.

Law enforcement officers and clandestine lab techs, who entered meth labs in cleanup efforts before Haz-Mat protective clothing and gear were required, didn't make that choice, either. It was their job, and many of them have paid or are paying the price through death due to various cancers. Their children who were born with birth defects due to the teratogenic nature of the materials will pay the price as well. And, those who wanted children but who have been exposed to the carcinogens and teratogens have tough choices to make. Their lives, livelihoods and families have suffered because of somebody else's meth habit.

This time of year, a number of communities and organizations encourage individuals to walk by the roadsides and pick up litter. That's a good thing as it makes the roadways, towns and living areas cleaner and more beautiful. But there's a problem some might not have considered. When a meth cook has finished preparing a batch of meth, he/she puts some chemicals together and their reaction creates a poisonous gas that is used to "clean" the final product. When the cook has used the gas to clean the meth, the container (still containing the reactants) is discarded, sometimes on the side of the road.

So, individuals picking up litter should be careful of what they pick up. The reactants may still be in containers even though the gases they produce can't be seen. If the discarded containers are picked up, the reactants can shift position and may cause "unused reaction surfaces" to come in contact with each other and start the reaction again. The result? The person picking up litter gets a face full of that poisonous gas.

Individuals who see a container with a hose coming out of it (like a small gas can or a 2-liter soft drink bottle) should call law enforcement and should not touch the container or try to move it themselves. For every pound of meth generated, five pounds of toxic waste is produced. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug. It comes in two forms: powered and "ice." Immediately after taking meth, the user experiences a "rush" or intense, extremely pleasurable sensation. This lasts only a few minutes, though. The user continues to experience an increase in energy and alertness and a decrease in appetite. They may stay awake for two to fours days (or longer) before beginning to come down from the high. When coming down, the user may be irritable and unpredictable in their behavior. The long-term effects may include psychosis, auditory hallucinogens (hearing voices), delusions, violent rages and other forms of aggression. They may also experience the so-called "crank bugs" in which the individual's skin becomes sensitive and "itchy" and it feels like there are bugs crawling on their skin. The individual begins to scratch, trying to eradicate the bugs from under their skin. They scratch themselves so badly that they have open sores that can become infected.

Another side-effect of meth use is that the protective saliva around the teeth is reduced and, because meth users tend to neglect personal hygiene and crave sugars and carbohydrates to feed their energy demands, they develop what is commonly known as "meth mouth." That means their teeth rot, become loose and literally fall out of their mouths - sometimes when they are just eating something or sometimes when they are just talking. Go to www.usdoj.gov/methawareness to view some photos of meth mouth.

Meth also causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, leading to the possibility of stroke or heart attack, respiratory problems and extreme anorexia. Meth users' appearances change drastically in a short period of time. Meth use can lead to collapse and death.

Ephedrine (or pseudo-ephedrine) is a common substance found in allergy relief and other over-the-counter medicines. Because these OTC drugs have been limited by government regulations, an illegal pipeline has been created to bring them from Mexico to the U.S. Here on the East Coast, most of the drugs that come from Mexico are routed through Atlanta.

Farm fertilizer (anhydrous ammonia) is another ingredient in one method of cooking meth. When stolen, it is often placed in metal gas canisters, but it corrodes the fittings so that they turn green. Individuals who see such a canister should call law enforcement. The canisters become unstable after a few weeks and can explode and, anhydrous ammonia on bare skin and eyes often has disastrous results.

A meth lab in operation puts out a very unpleasant odor.

Meth is an old drug that is being rediscovered. South Carolina is not as severely affected as some areas of the country, but meth use is becoming more prevalent. It is easy to manufacture because it uses chemicals and not plants that have to be cultivated, grown and harvested. The materials to set up a lab are simple and portable. The contamination is long term, and the cost of cleanup can range from $50,000 to $250,000.

Area residents should keep their eyes and ears open and report anything suspicious to law enforcement.

* Capt. Sherryl Peters is a member of the Ehrhardt Police Department, director of the 321 Corridor Task Force and a Times and Democrat correspondent.

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