Meth conference: in search of solutions

By Maggie Plummer

"My older sister Chrystal used to do meth and she ended up killing herself three years ago. It hurt me and my family to lose her. There was also a lesson learned and I will never use meth because I have seen what it does."

High school junior Kim Patten shared this story and more at the recent "Seeking Solutions, Creating Change" conference on methamphetamine abuse.

She was one of several TERS students who attended the Polson conference and read their stories, which were entered into a contest.

Hosted by the Tribes at KwaTaqNuk Resort, the two-day event covered an overview and history of the drug, environmental issues, a Montana Meth Project documentary, a heartfelt presentation by a recovering meth addict, and various group discussions on how to create change.

As she introduced herself, one Salish Kootenai College instructor told the group that she "stares into the face of meth every day" in her job. She compared the methamphetamine "epidemic" to the smallpox epidemics of the past, calling meth the "latest killer of the people."

Day One opened with the TERS students' stories, which inspired tears and applause.

"Everyday there are young kids dying, trying methamphetamines," Kim read from her story, "not knowing what it means. 12-year-old Kyle saw his older brother Lyle passed out on the couch and his needle with meth sitting in it on the table, decided to try it just once even though he heard the saying 'not even once.' Now the family mourns while their little boy is buried in the cemetery and Lyle watches far away, screaming 'No God, please,' but it's too late as he watches him laid to rest and hears the beat of the drum. His family hates him and won't let him go back home. He has nowhere to turn so he goes back to meth, thinking it will solve his problems, but it doesn't, all it did was kill him. At his funeral those who came to say good-bye were the demons that come to take him, no one else not even one single human soul."

Meth is a very dangerous drug that takes over and causes users to do things that are unthinkable, Kim wrote.

"In the future," she continued, "I would like to see our generation step up and take a stand to help stop the use of meth and other drugs...I feel that we youth have failed ourselves and our community because our generation is dying and the tradition is not being kept alive. No one can stop the problems we are having besides ourselves. Like drinking and driving, we have seen the deaths it causes but we continue to still do it."

Kim's essay was one of three that earned the students $100 each. The other two prizewinners were by TERS Seniors James Knapp and John "G" Green.

James wrote about alcohol abuse as a type of violence: "...nothing I say really hits them until they are sober. It saddens me to see how we use all this violence, how it tears us down from the ones we love, and it leaves nothing left of us...Please take the time to take a step back, see what you have in front of you, and see why it's worth saving..."

Throughout the event, a handmade blanket created by TERS students decorated the conference room wall, featuring anti-drug messages and drawings in a series of squares.

The conference, emceed by Dana Grant of the Tribes' Department of Human Resource Development (DHRD), was held in late April, since that month was designated Child Abuse Prevention Month.

On the Flathead Reservation, drug and alcohol abuse are often linked to child abuse, according to a conference flier. DHRD set up the conference as a way to call attention to the ongoing battle against drug and alcohol abuse, with the hope of strengthening partnerships and ultimately improving the quality of reservation life.

Brian Fyant of the Northwest Drug Task Force presented an overview of meth, emphasizing that "the rush is what people get addicted to."

According to him, 15 percent of the population has a drug habit.

Use of the drug creates a chemical imbalance in the brain, he said, as excess dopamine is stimulated. Every time meth is used, the user's dopamine level is lower, and it will never be as high as it was the first time, he explained.

"A lot of people commit suicide when they're crashing (from the drug)," he continued.

He used the example of Theresa Baxter, who used meth to escape depression, would stay up on the drug for 14 days at a time, lost all but two of her teeth, and can't stand to look at herself in the mirror.

"Don't hesitate to get involved," he told the gathering, encouraging everyone to call him at 676-8212 if they have meth-related concerns.

Deb Grimm of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality's Meth Lab Cleanup Program spoke about the state's list of contaminated property, meant to help the public be aware of toxic areas. At the state's www.deq.state.mt.us web site, there is also a list of certified clean-up contractors, she said.

According to her figures, during 2002 Montana hit a peak number of meth labs. Now it's declining, she pointed out, from 63 in 2004 to about 15 last year. So far this year, one meth lab has been reported to the DEQ, she said.

"Cascade County has been number one," she added, "then Flathead, then Missoula, and Yellowstone counties."

During the planning discussions, conference participants came up with an array of ideas on what the biggest obstacles are to turning things around. Some feel it's lack of treatment and follow-up; others believe the most important challenge is politics, or lack of unity. Still others think general apathy, feelings of being overwhelmed, and lack of funding are major obstacles to positive change.

"I was raised here most of my life and have seen the changes," Kim concluded in her essay, "and I would like to see this reservation's name known in a good way, not in a bad way. We all need to work together to keep us kids safe and drug free."