Epic Meth Bust No Surprise To GA Experts

ATLANTA -- Some people may have been stunned by the raid on a meth lab in Lawrenceville run by a Mexican drug cartel. It was part of a nationwide sweep officials called the largest single strike at Mexican drug operations in the United States.

But experts here in Georgia say it is just another indication of a growing problem that is out of control. A consortium of business leaders and corporations called the Georgia Meth Project are attacking a problem that is costing the state billions of dollars.

Officials say the lab in the middle class neighborhood was operated by the Mexican drug cartel La Familia. It was one of the largest meth labs federal agents have ever seen. Authorities' seized 188 pounds of crystal meth, 17 kilos of cocaine, 13 guns and $50,000.

The Georgia Meth Project is going to launch a massive public service campaign after the first of the year to prevent first time use of meth. It's targeted toward young people. Jim Langford, the Executive Director of the Georgia Meth Project says the problem continues to get worse and continues to grow.

"When you see an operation that large, a manufacturing operation that large, with finished product ready to go out to the market place it tells you a couple of things," Langford said. "It tells you that there's a high demand for the drug and it shows you that these cartels are finding that they need to move their manufacturing closer to the source (users)."

Georgia has the third worst meth problem of any other state in terms of numbers of meth users. According to a study by the Rand Corporation meth use costs the state 1.3-billion a year. The study found that methamphetamine abuse imposes a significant and disproportionate burden on both individuals and society in money spent on treatment, healthcare, foster care services as well as the costs of crime and lost productivity.

Langford says methamphetamine is more devastating than any other drug. "It is more frightening in terms of the effect on the body, its affect on the brain and its affect on the community and families," he said.

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy 32% of federal drug offenses in Georgia in 2007 involved methamphetamine. For the last five years methamphetamine has been the fastest growing drug problem in Atlanta, Dalton and Gainesville.