Meth, LSD are Among the Hot Popular Drugs

Tuesday's Frat Boy News Pause for the Cause

University of Tennessee (compiled by Lisa Marchesoni, The Murfreesboro Post)

When it comes to drug trends, synthetic or man-made drugs are hot while methamphetamine is not.

Director Tommy Farmer of the Tennessee Methamphetamine Drug Task Force said the meth epidemic showed a dramatic decrease in manufacturing labs since the state made it tougher last year to buy Ephedrine, the key component of the illegal drug.

More than 1,565 labs were seized in the peak year of 2005 while only 210 labs were confiscated this year. Tennessee is still fourth in the nation for confiscation of illegal meth labs.

“But just because we reduced the labs, we didn’t reduce the meth addicts by the same amount,” Farmer said. “When you find a meth addict, you find a poly drug user. … They’re trying to go after something as a similar effect.”

In Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, three lieutenants who supervise drug units have seen an increase in Ecstasy pills and prescription painkillers to take the place of meth. Ecstasy is a man-made drug similar to methamphetamine and popular with young adults.

Crack cocaine and marijuana are still the most preferred drugs while the hallucinogenic LSD is making a comeback. They’ve also seen an increase in property crimes to support illegal drug habits — a trend that affects everyone.

Murfreesboro Vice Lt. Nathan McDaniel said about 70 to 85 percent of the city’s property crimes are directly related to drugs.

“When you get burglars, most times it’s somebody on crack,” McDaniel said. “Crack’s our biggest problem.”