Someone close to me is concerned that her abode is teeming with residual meth as well as airborne meth due to the prevalence of the smoking.
(No, I can’t talk her into moving, I’m so sad to report.)
I’m not able to find resources to clarify if this is a worthwhile concern. She claims it’s affecting her hair, skin, and nails. PubMed and Google seemed to only direct me to information about meth laboratories or people selling filters and anecdotal testimonials.
My first impulse is to provide sloppy warnings of eminent doom to get her out of that circumstance, but she trusts me and knows I’ll be honest and I’m not going to deceive her.
Is there anyone who can either direct me for my own research or who has familiarity with this?
Thanks for any help!
Steve
Digibeast. There is more than one reason she should move out.
They should be pretty obvious.
And yes, chemical residues of that nature could be harmful to people’s health.
There are dozens of reasons she should move out and, yes, they’re incredibly obvious.
But she’s 17 and not very subject to reason and as a former step-parent I have zero legal recourse for anything related to her.
I need evidence that the residues are harmful, not that they could be. If she’s exposed to concentrations that are, say, a tiny fraction of what the EPA considers safe than I’m going to be honest and focus on all the other reasons she should move out. If I can provide evidence that this exposure is dangerous then she’s agreed to move out and I’m hoping she’ll stay with a female friend who is responsible. Her biological parents are absent and insane, as is the current owner of the house.
There are dozens of reasons she should move out and, yes, they're incredibly obvious. But she's 17 and not very subject to reason and as a former step-parent I have zero legal recourse for anything related to her. I need evidence that the residues are harmful, not that they *could* be. If she's exposed to concentrations that are, say, a tiny fraction of what the EPA considers safe than I'm going to be honest and focus on all the other reasons she should move out. If I can provide evidence that this exposure is dangerous then she's agreed to move out and I'm hoping she'll stay with a female friend who is responsible. Her biological parents are absent and insane, as is the current owner of the house.If she's only 17, then a quick call to the police should suffice. That's an incredibly horrible environment for anyone to be in. Especially a young girl. She's probably already slipping over to the dark side anyways if she's living there. And she wants to live there. Let's be honest. You don't need proof for the EPA . You need the police. Maybe they can help.
Steve considering there is absolutely no standardized method for making street methamphetamine, the array of harmful chemicals
could be anything. You would have to get a sample and have it analyzed.
Sounds goofy doesn’t it?
You know what sounds more goofy though?
You’re telling us that she claims her health is being affected, yet you are looking for proof of chemical contaminants to convince her that her health is being affected.
If the other dozen reasons why she shouldn’t be living there are not effective…sounds like she’s already tweakin’ out.
You’re up against an epidemic monster. If she’s already using that stuff you’ll have to really put forth alot of effort and sacrifice.
Start with the Police and her other friends who are trustworthy. Don’t go messing around vigilante style. Follow the law.
If she’s not using, I don’t see what the problem is. Convince her she has to get out! Now! Use everything within your power that’s legal.
There are dozens of reasons she should move out and, yes, they're incredibly obvious. But she's 17 and not very subject to reason and as a former step-parent I have zero legal recourse for anything related to her. I need evidence that the residues are harmful, not that they *could* be. If she's exposed to concentrations that are, say, a tiny fraction of what the EPA considers safe than I'm going to be honest and focus on all the other reasons she should move out. If I can provide evidence that this exposure is dangerous then she's agreed to move out and I'm hoping she'll stay with a female friend who is responsible. Her biological parents are absent and insane, as is the current owner of the house.You have plenty of legal recourse. She's a minor in jeopardy. If you are sexually involved with her you have a bigger problem than she has. Ask a poison contol center what to do about the contaminated living quarters. Or talk to the police. She's vulnerable to arrest on drug charges. Talk to the owner of the premises and demand they be cleaned. Tell the owners they are liable to be arrested on drug charges if meth is found there. If she's not an emancipated minor DFS should be consulted. Otherwise, do you know a mature woman to counsel her? It probably shouldn't be you. And if you're smart you won"t be alone with her, no matter how honorable your intentions are. If your intentions are pure, there is plenty you can and should do to help her. You might have to practice some tough love. You appear to be going around three sides of the barn on this issue. You are jeopardizing yourself and her. Lois
I know that when the authorities remove kids from their homes where meth has been manufactured, the kids can’t take anything with them, teddy bears, toys, clothes, nothing. The clothes they are wearing are disposed of. This is done, purportedly, to protect the children from the residuals of meth.
For starters, she turns 18 in early July. I’ve constantly considered police involvement, but that would have resulted in worse outcomes, odd as that sounds. Involving the police has been an excruciatingly difficult consideration of mine. I also perceived the foster home option differently than most, given her personal wishes, additional uprootedness, and other similar risks that come from foster homes. I did try to talk her into boarding school a few years ago and that has always been on the table but she doesn’t want to move…again!
She knows I’ll provide for her whether she’s living with me as she did for over a year while her mom went off to be an artist in Santa Fe, or with a family friend who accepted my offer to subsidize her costs. I’d won legal guardianship over her two biological parents. I had rules, however, and so does our family friend.
Consider that her grades are fairly impressive; she’s in orchestra; she works part time; her “use” is limited to pot and her heightened concern about residual meth represents a fear she has about the drug itself. Since I’m genuinely convinced she’s not using the stuff and since it’s not manufactured in that house, I perceive the threat differently. She did, however, have a brief period where she used it and after seeing the effect on her body, she quit. She’s also observing firsthand the idiocy of meth heads straight from Jesse Pinkman’s most surreal moments.
There are some redeeming features of that environment, odd as that sounds. It involves surrogate grandparents and elder care, but not at that same house. It would be a total and unmitigated disaster if a bust occurred and would go on her record since she’s almost 18. I’ve been managing the threading of a very delicate needle and within a year I expect this chapter in her life to close, perhaps earlier if environmental concerns turn out to be urgent.
I would know none of this if I hadn’t promised to not involve the police. As a result I’ve monitored her condition rather closely. She knows my promise is provisional and that there are circumstances that would move me to involve the police. Also note that of the numerous adults whose counsel I’ve sought, none have recommended I involve the police, arrests, foster homes, and God knows what else would happen to her.
I’m seeing a clear trajectory to college and I’m hoping she’ll be dazzled her freshman year to the extent of leaving her current boyfriend, who is a big problem. In fact, if we conclude she’s being exposed to health risks from second-hand residue, we’ve entertained numerous options to get her out and away. I’d consider paying for an apartment for her if I could be assured of her safety. Understandably she doesn’t want to live in my city so that option makes me nervous since I’m four hours away if problems come up.
I don’t believe she’s slipping over to the dark side. She actually has a decent head on her shoulders for someone her age, partly after much therapy. In fact, we both went to the same therapist, sometimes jointly, to help me be a better parent. The offer of continued therapy is always on the table, which could be Lois’s “mature woman to counsel her.” The family friend is another female mature woman who actually does give advice clearly and steadily. This advice matches my own.
We’ll be obtaining test kits but I’m not sure how to manage the results. I’d like to think I could wipe a Q-tip on a counter, dip in solution, and obtain a meaningful number but I’m not sure if I trust the sellers of the kits or the meaning of the results. How long since the countertop was last cleaned? Since the drug was used? I’m thinking of a simple “either/or,” which is to say any positive result should lead to her departure.
Quoting VYAZMA, “You’re telling us that she claims her health is being affected, yet you are looking for proof of chemical contaminants to convince her that her health is being affected. If the other dozen reasons why she shouldn’t be living there are not effective…sounds like she’s already tweakin’ out.”
She has a history of distorted body imagery. I suspect her sincere belief that her body is contaminated is possibly due to the correct perception of general grunge she knows to be present. I don’t believe there are any physical indicators on her person that are visible to an observer. If they exist, it may be dietary, for all I know. I’m skeptical that there are genuine problems from second-hand exposure partly because of the sheer volumes of use that would be required for meaningful toxicity levels secondhand, or so I say with no published resources to review.
If anyone can direct me to valid resources regarding environmental contamination in a non-manufacture setting I’d be grateful. Thanks for everyone’s input so far!
I might directly contact someone who has published in this area. I found a few promising authors. I could also contact my own state’s Department of Public Health.