LAW CAREER IS DERAILED BY ILLEGAL DRUGS

It should come as no surprise that illegal drugs can ruin your life. Just ask Marshall Shain, a former Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney. He is serving time in the Madison County jail for a drug conviction.

Shain said his life has hit bottom, propelled downward by one of the most addictive of drugs -- methamphetamine.

Shain is not alone.

This do-it-yourself drug is running rampant in the state. Some estimates are that Missouri has the most meth labs of any state in the country -- rivaled only by California. As evidence, the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force busted about one-third of all meth labs in the United States in 1995 and part of 1996.

The explosion of meth can be attributed to the fact the drug can be rather easily produced with materials that are readily -- and legally -- available in many retail stores.

Also, the drug -- known as meth, speed, crank, crystal and ice -- is so addictive that users often learn how to make their own.

Through drug use, Shain said he "found a way to die." But he didn't die. Instead, the former attorney landed behind bars. His cellmates are a murderer and a child molester.

Shain never expected to go to jail. But drugs have a way of changing all expectations.

His legal problems began last Sept. 25, when he was arrested in Stoddard County on a felony charge of attempting to manufacturer meth. He was arrested March 24 on a felony charge of possession of meth.

In July, the Missouri Supreme Court indefinitely suspended his license to practice law. He had closed his practice in 1995 because of his drug addiction. In all, he had practice law about 20 years.

While awaiting sentencing in Bollinger and Stoddard counties, Shain got into trouble again. He was arrested July 23 in Butler County on drug manufacturing charges.

At first, Shain found methamphetamine made him feel good. But the drug addiction eventually took over his life. He ended up injecting it into his veins as the addiction worsened.

Shain hopes his experiences can serve as a lesson to others. He likens methamphetamine to a steep hill with ice on it.

From an artificial high to the lowest of lows -- that's the destiny of a drug addict. The drug takes control, and life begins to spiral out of control. The results can be devastating and deadly.

These days, Shain has plenty of time in jail to reflect on what went wrong. Illegal drugs, he said, can ruin your life. Pay attention. He knows what he's talking about.