Despite its destructive powers, meth remains the most widely abused drug in the North State. While not nearly as prevalent, Butte County authorities warned Thursday of the growing proliferation of another substance. Perhaps less dangerous to users, it still presents tremendous risks to local amateur chemists attempting to produce it.
The total number of arrests by the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force in 2014 was the highest since 2010. The highly addictive stimulant methamphetamine accounted for the lion’s share of arrests. Marijuana cultivation, still a lucrative business in the county according to District Attorney Mike Ramsey, was involved in a bit more than half as many arrests as meth.
While the destructive impacts of meth addiction are widely known by the public, officials at an event held publicizing the annual statistics spent a significant amount of time reviewing the dangers of perhaps the fastest-growing trend in the local underground economy, so-called butane honey oil.
The product is essentially highly refined oil obtained by using butane to process low-grade marijuana, or shake. Smoked in special pipes or vaporizers, the product is highly potent and lucrative. Ramsey said essentially worthless leaves or shake that were once discarded or given away, are now being refined through dangerous means.
Butane can become highly unstable and explosive. Heavier than air, if used indoors it can displace oxygen near the floor, creating a suffocation hazard for infants and pets. Any spark, including from electric warming trays commonly used in production, or even static electricity, can set off a violent flash explosion.
Ramsey said the reason for the proliferation of so-called butane honey oil labs is simple:
“Well, there’s a lot of marijuana, and commercial grade marijuana,” he said. “When it’s more about the money than medicine, this is why we have this.”
The street value of all the marijuana and marijuana-related substances seized by authorities dwarfed the value of all the meth taken by about 20 times.
Authorities reported seizing about $400,000 in cash and property from the accused last year, along with 103 firearms.
Authorities reported finding two abandoned meth labs and one meth lab dump site last year.