Meth Burn Patients Filling Hospitals

Rise in incidents and patients are adversely affecting hospitals.
Published Monday, January 23, 2012
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A crude new method of making methamphetamine poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment — a burden so costly that it's contributing to the closure of some burn units.

  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the scene of a shake-and-bake lab explosion at a home in Clarksville, Tenn., in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows the aftermath what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle that burned in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the interior of a home in Clarksville, Tenn., damaged by a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This dashboard police video photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle burning in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows shake-and-bake meth ingredients found at house that burned from a meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows firefighters battling a blaze from a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, at a house in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the scene of a shake-and-bake lab explosion at a home in Clarksville, Tenn., in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows the aftermath what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle that burned in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the interior of a home in Clarksville, Tenn., damaged by a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This dashboard police video photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle burning in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows shake-and-bake meth ingredients found at house that burned from a meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows firefighters battling a blaze from a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, at a house in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the scene of a shake-and-bake lab explosion at a home in Clarksville, Tenn., in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows the aftermath what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle that burned in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 19, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows shows the interior of a home in Clarksville, Tenn., damaged by a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion in December, 2011. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Jesse Reynolds)
  • This dashboard police video photo provided Jan. 17, 2012, by the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force shows what authorities say is a mobile shake-and-bake meth lab vehicle burning in August, 2011, in Clarksville, Tenn. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force)
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows shake-and-bake meth ingredients found at house that burned from a meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
  • This photo provided Jan. 10, 2012, by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department shows firefighters battling a blaze from a shake-and-bake meth lab explosion Jan. 29, 2010, at a house in Union, Mo. The crude new method of making methamphetamine, by combining raw and unstable ingredients in a 2-liter soda bottle, poses a risk even to Americans who never get anywhere near the drug: It is filling hospitals with thousands of uninsured burn patients requiring millions of dollars in advanced treatment _ a burden so costly that it’s contributing to the closure of some burn units. (AP Photo/Franklin County Sheriff’s Department )
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Meth Fires Cause Major Problems for Hospitals

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