Analysis: Not exactly a welcome sight
Photos courtesy of SHOSHONE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT The needle and bag of crystal meth found by Silver Valley residents last weekend. Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office says that they commonly find objects like these as well, especially in certain alleyways and hangouts. They ask that if you come across something like these to please call law enforcement.
Two examples of methamphetamine that were seized in the Silver Valley. The blue package on the left is a positive meth test.
Photo courtesy of SCSO/ Two examples of “black tar” heroine, the most common type found in the Silver Valley. These samples were also seized by deputies here in the Silver Valley.
Photo courtesy of SCSO/ A drug user’s kit complete with a storage container, a pipe, hand holder and a spoon. The substance to the left is meth (crystal and powder) and to the right is a meth loaded needle.
By CHANSE WATSON
Managing Editor
WALLACE — It’s no secret that Shoshone County has been battling a drug problem for years now. Created through the combination of rising national drug use trends and local downturn, the Silver Valley’s issues with illegal substances are not unique compared to other areas — although certainly not any less serious.
Some individuals may hear stories about drug seizures by law enforcement or may even know someone affected by drug use, but most generally do not come across that sort of thing on a day-to-day basis.
With this in mind, imagine the surprise one would feel if you found drugs or paraphernalia simply left in the open while you take a walk or your at the store. According to local law enforcement officials, this kind of situation happens in Shoshone County much more than they would like.
One of the most recent incidents in particular was reported last weekend when a Pinehurst resident stumbled across an amount of crystal methamphetamine on the ground, reportedly close to Pinehurst Elementary School. The discovery went viral locally after a photo of the meth was shared to social media.
In the same day, another Silver Valley resident posted to social media claiming that they had discovered a used needle near a walking path. Although it was never confirmed by law enforcement as a needle used for administering narcotics, syringes like the one found are commonly used for this purpose.
Even just one week before these incidents, the Kellogg Police Department reported that they came across an amount of meth after an individual found it in Stein’s Market.
Since it is a real possibility that a person could run into substances or paraphernalia such as these without even trying to find them, the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office wants residents to know the dangers of these items and what to do if they are discovered.
SCSO Sheriff Mike Gunderson explained that the three most common abused substances he and his deputies come across (in no particular order) are heroin, methamphetamine and various prescription pills.
Heroin is a schedule I controlled substance (i.e. no currently accepted medical use and high potential for abuse) that is relatively affordable and can come in several different types. The drug can also be administered in a variety of ways after being broken down into a solution such as smoking it, snorting it or injecting it.
Gunderson says that “black tar” heroin is a type most commonly found here in the Silver Valley. Named after its color and sometimes sticky consistency, black tar is cheaper than “white” heroin and found mainly on the western side of the county. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, users experience an increased sense of pleasure in conjunction with a decreased sense of pain. Short- and long-term effects of using the drug are numerous, but include nausea, severe itching, mental disorders and increased risk of infectious diseases (hearth, kidney and liver diseases).
Methamphetamine is a schedule II substance (i.e. high potential for abuse and considered dangerous) that is also relatively low in price, but it generally doesn’t come in many varieties. Like heroin, meth can also be administered by smoking it, snorting it or injecting it; but it also can be taken orally in pill form as well.
SCSO Undersheriff Holly Lindsey says that this drug can be found in crystal, powder or pill form, and the color can vary depending on the ingredients. Users get an increase in dopamine in the brain that produces a euphoric “rush” feeling. Depending on how it is used, meth can lead to a number of effects such as weakfullness, mood swings, paranoia, extreme weight loss, intense itching and increased risk of infectious diseases (HIV and hepatitis B and C).
Illegal prescription pill use can include a variety of different substances being abused depending on what is being taken. SCSO Captain Jeremy Groves explains that “there’s not just one pill” that can be called the most used or found in the Valley.
“It used to be that you had hydros (hydrocodone), you had lortabs and you had oxycodone. Now it’s much more,” he added.
The introduction of new substance into the market combined with an increase in generic versions of old drugs has given users plenty to choose from. Pills can generally be identified by looking up the tablet identification number imprinted or pressed into the pill itself. In most cases, pills are obtained by having a prescription, then they are distributed or sold to others illegally. Withdraws from these substances can lead to thefts and burglaries in attempts to find more as well.
Like heroin or meth, certain pain killers such as those mentioned by Groves can easily addict their users and cause a variety of side effects.
With the many dangers these substances carry, Gunderson has his reasons for asking residents to call law enforcement in the event of finding one.
“Mostly its that narcotics are water soluble,” he explained. “So if you touch it with your bare hands, you can absorb those … controlled substance into your system.”
He also pointed out that getting rid of these dangerous substances should best be left to the professionals.
“By law, the only people that can destroy narcotics or controlled substances is the board of pharmacy or law enforcement … it has to be destroyed a certain way.”
In addition to the drugs, coming across paraphernalia such as a used needle is also a possibility. Just like with the actual substances, Gunderson asks that you call the police if you find something like this for the sake of safety.
“If they find a syringe, obviously your worried about other diseases if you get poked,” he said. “Let us deal with it and let us destroy it versus somebody else taking that responsibility. I would hate to see someone throw it in the garbage and their child comes, or their dog comes, or anything comes and finds it.”
When responding to a call for service involving found drugs, deputies will test the substance to identify it. If it is successfully identified, the deputy then writes a report, documents the substance, enters it into evidence, then eventually sends it away to be properly destroyed. This process is done carefully and safely by the deputy to avoid contaminating themselves or others who handle the evidence.
With items such as needles, they can go through a similar documentation process, but almost always end up being disposed of through the use of a “sharps” container and being sent off.
Gunderson stresses that these protocols and safety precautions are necessary to keep people safe, especially with dangerous new substances such as fentanyl possibly making its way into the Silver Valley.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Groves says that even a sand-grain sized amount of the substance has the potential to kill someone.
“Fentanyl can be absorbed right through the skin and kill you instantly,” Gunderson said. “Fentanyl is a completely different drug. We haven’t seen a lot in our community, but we did get some marijuana that was laced with it recently.”
In terms of sheer weight, marijuana is one of the most seized substances by SCSO. Gunderson acknowledges that the Idaho laws on marijuana have rubbed many the wrong way, but it’s still their job to enforce them.
“It’s always a complaint, it’s something that we hear and something we address,” he said. “Unfortunately, Idaho isn’t going to change anything soon, so we have to keep moving forward. Some people think it’s a gateway drug and we’re not here to debate that with anybody. We have taken the oath to support the laws of the state of Idaho and that’s one of the laws.”
Even though SCSO continues to uphold the state law, Gunderson made it clear that their marijuana-related incarcerations mainly focus on those who traffic large amounts.
“We can’t tie up the jail for a misdemeanor amount of marijuana.”
Citing Idaho State Police’s large marijuana bust last week in the Silver Valley, Gunderson says that situations like this wouldn’t be acceptable even across the state line.
“You don’t go to Washington and legally buy 250 pounds of marijuana, or even a pound.”
If you come across any dangerous or suspicious substances or paraphernalia, report it to SCSO at 208-556-1114. If it’s an emergency, dial 911.