Crystal Meth Problem In Baldwin County

Police in Loxley say their streets are now safer since shutting down a "rolling" meth lab near Interstate 10 last night. On a routine traffic stop, officers confiscated chemicals and components used to make crystal meth and seized 18 grams of the finished product.

"The substance is extremely dangerous," says Lt. Doug Phillips with the Loxley Police Dept. "The end result of using this is destruction of the body and destruction of the mind."

Police arrested Tommy Laughlin and Roy Reed, Jr. both of Mobile County. The men were charged with drug manufacturing and drug possession. Phillips says the suspects were killing themselves with the dangerous drug.

"These chemicals that are used to make this, anything from rat poison to lithium batteries to Red Devil lye, these are all household chemicals used to make it. It's poisonous."

Meth isn't just a problem in Loxley. Within the past week, police in Gulf Shores responded to a meth lab explosion at an apartment complex on Highway 59 that sent two people to the hospital. And on Friday, officers in Gulf Shores shut down a working meth lab just a few blocks from the police station.

Crystal meth has become a major problem in Baldwin County...in fact, drug counselors and therapists are treating addicts in record numbers.

"It's highly addictive, it's one of the most addictive drugs out there," says Whitey Whiten. Whiten is a drug addiction counselor in Foley. "I'm seeing more and more meth patients everyday and it's a lot more widespread than people think. It's an easy way to make money and an easy way to get high. Long term use of it can certainly lead to death."