Program at Anna highlights meth dangers

ANNA, Ill. -- About 100 people gathered at the Anna-Jonesboro Community High School on Thursday to see firsthand the ravages of methamphetamines. The presentation included a showing of the documentary "No More Sunsets," which chronicled the last days of Cape Girardeau native Shawn Bridges.

Bridges died in March at the age of 35 after his addiction to meth so ravaged his heart that "he had the body of a 90-year-old inside," according to his father, Jack. Shawn Bridges suffered his first heart attack at age 26.

The documentary shows him confined to a hospital bed unable to speak and surviving with the aid of a feeding tube.

Jack Bridges, who spoke briefly before the film, said if his son's death can deter others it will serve its purpose.

"I'm very proud of him. It's hard to watch, but if he hadn't been so passionate and wanted to save people from making the same mistakes he made, it would have been a lot harder," he said.

Jack Bridges believes children tempted by drugs often believe they're invincible.

"This isn't supposed to happen this way. They're supposed to grow up, have a family, get a job, raise their kids and leave something for posterity and it's not happening that way," he said.

Union County Sheriff David Livesay also spoke. He said his county has a major meth problem and education is the best tool he has available.

Legislation passed in Illinois in 2004 made meth's key ingredients, pseudoephedrine and anhydrous ammonia, more difficult to obtain.

Livesay said the restrictions resulted in a decline of local meth production. Between 1999 and 2004, Union County police shut down 200 meth labs. This year that figure has dropped to eight.

But while production has declined, use has stayed strong resulting in an influx of imported meth. The meth generally coming from Mexico is said to be more potent and the drug dealers profiting from it more violent.

"Before, it wasn't sold for a profit much, it was mainly used. But now we're starting to see gangs coming and making a profit off meth and it's being sold like cocaine or marijuana. ... So we solved one problem and actually turned the wheel a little toward the other side," Livesay said.

The key to turning that wheel back in the other direction is connecting with young people. Livesay said about three out of every five students at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School know someone who uses meth.

Kelsey Eidson, 17, said she knows people who use meth but they're all older.

"Honestly, I don't see the attraction. It's really gross from what I've seen," she said.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245