Drug Problems Plague Apache County and Create Serious Consequences

Chances are, you know someone who suffers from drug addiction or whose family is in turmoil because of drug use. I view the “Drug Problem” (especially “meth use”) as one of the most serious issues facing Apache County today. The County is not doing enough to combat this serious problem.

How I Will Fight Our Drug Problem

Apache County employs just one part-time prosecutor to handle all felony drug cases in the County. This part-time prosecutor is trying hard to combat this problem, but needs help.

Part-time prosecution for a full-time drug problem is not enough. I value the children and young people of this County too much to stand by and let lives be ruined by this monster. If elected, I will personally and actively prosecute serious drug crimes.

Shredding the Welcome Mat

Until we begin to seriously fight the County's “drug epidemic” with full-time prosecution, drug dealers will continue to be attracted to Apache County, setting up their meth labs to sell their Methamphetamine and other poisons. We  cannot let this happen.  It's time to shred our welcoming mat to drug dealers by demanding full-time prosecution of serious drug crimes.  Your Vote for Whiting will guarantee results.

Why I Will Fight Meth Abuse

Some of Methamphetamine's "soft" costs that transcend obvious criminal enforcement expenditures include:

	Daunting personal expenses and related medical care.  Kidney and lung disorders, liver damage and brain damage are just some of the health problems known to affect meth users.  There are also psychological problems like depression and paranoid psychosis that may also require treatment.
	Domestic violence.  Methamphetamine abuse frequently results in the user exhibiting violent behavior.   Oftentimes, the user targets family members and close friends, resulting in an increase in domestic violence calls that must be responded to by the County's law enforcement officers.
	Felonies and violent crimes.  Drug dealers initiate violence and killing toward one another and other innocent victims.
	Retarded development.  It's no secret that adolescence is a difficult time for most teens, but if they are using meth, symptoms like irritability, a false sense of power, confusion, depression and aggression can seriously hamper the teen's ability to gracefully develop into a healthy adult.
	STDs and unwanted pregnancies.  Promiscuity is rampant among meth users.  This increases the risk for  contracting and spreading sexually transmitted diseases. Unwanted pregnancies are another risk.
	Hazardous waste.  Methamphetamine is a drug that is relatively easy to synthesize.  Home labs are set up throughout the County, creating potentially deadly consequences for our local communities.  The toxic and volatile characteristics of some of the chemicals needed to make meth have a high risk of explosion and fire. The "used" chemicals left over from the production of meth are considered hazardous wastes.  Unfortunately, drug manufacturers generally dump the waste on the ground near the "lab." This can harm children or pets who contact these disposal sites.  There may be damage to the environment where these toxic dumps leak into the soil and groundwater supply.
	Emotional pain and suffering.  No hard cost can be assigned to the breakup of families, premature senility, and fear within families who are suffering from the threatening and violent behavior of a drug user in its midst.

The "soft" costs of meth use will create an immediate and long-term financial and emotional drain on Apache County's families and government.