While much focus in the news has lately been on the deadly nature of opioid drugs, it’s important to realize that Houston is still reeling from the scourge of methamphetamine-related deaths.
In fact, as reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), there were more than 400 meth-related deaths in the state in 2014, a number that had been steadily rising since 2008. Those numbers won’t abate unless and until the production of meth is eradicated.
You don’t have to make meth to get arrested for it
For those who are caught up in the cycle of addiction to illegal drugs like methamphetamine, it can be nearly impossible to avoid a criminal lifestyle. Simply associating with the people involved in the methamphetamine trade can be enough to get you caught up in a major drug sting.
Having your phone number repeatedly showing up in a dealer’s call log can put you within the sights of law enforcement. It doesn’t matter if both you and your dealer delete the call logs and messages. A subpoena to the phone carrier reveals all. And the codes you may have devised to discuss your dealings are easily cracked by the drug task force.
Simply being in the wrong place when a raid goes down is enough to land yourself in jail for a long time. You might have only been there to cop $50 worth of meth, but if you’re there when they bust in on the meth lab, it’s not going to look very good.
When the offender is young
Some Houston parents have no clue that their teens and young adults have fallen under the grip of methamphetamine addiction. The first inkling they get that there is a problem may be that collect phone call from a Harris County Jail inmate: their son or daughter.
When that happens, it’s indeed a wake-up call. Fortunately, it’s one that can be heeded, unlike those calls from the coroner’s office. Parents can help their kids understand the true depth of the trouble they are in and help them explore their legal options to mount a credible defense against drug charges.
In most cases, courts look favorably upon defendants who take the initiative to seek treatment for their methamphetamine addictions as opposed to waiting to be ordered to enter rehab by a judge.
