Oklahoma Tackles The Dangers Of Crystal Meth

By Lori Fulbright, News On 6

UNDATED -- Methamphetamine addicts say the drug consumes their lives and takes them to a place of darkness. It's such a huge problem in Oklahoma that a documentary, Crystal Darkness, will be broadcast on every TV station in the state Tuesday night at 6:30  in an effort to shed some light on the scope of the meth problem and offer help on how to break its hold.

Related story: 1/6/2009  Stopping Meth Abuse In Oklahoma

The News On 6 spoke with a recovering addict, a woman we'll refer to as Jane.

Jane didn't want The News On 6 to show her face because people at her job don't know she was an addict and she's afraid they won't understand. Jane says she first tried meth when someone told her it would make her skinny.

"I looked at it on the table for 30 minutes and was thinking, ‘what am I doing? What am I doing? Okay, I'll try it,'" said Jane, a recovering addict.

Jane started using on weekends, then, needed meth to help her get through the day. Then, it consumed her.

She did whatever it took to get it and ignored everyone else in her life, including her children.

"I remember thinking ‘is this ever going to be over? Am I ever going to live a normal life? I know normal people don't live like this,' said " Jane.

Jane got arrested and DHS took her children away and that was rock bottom.

She went into rehab and has been clean for five years.

Crystal Darkness Oklahoma is a coalition of Oklahomans working together to stop methamphetamine in our state.

Others are not so lucky. Counselors say the drug robs people's souls.

"When they get to that point, they're not themselves anymore. We laugh. It's like the invasion of the body snatchers. You'd never let the snatchers have you, but you let drugs have you," said Mae Ann Shepherd, Resonance.

Jane is back on track, but it's taking her children a long time to understand and forgive.

"They were old enough to know what was going on. I'm ashamed of it, things I did when they were around, hard to get over that," said Jane.

The 30 minute documentary called Crystal Darkness airs on Channel 6 Tuesday night at 6:30. It has aired in 10 other states so far.

There are hundreds of watch parties, including one with the Tulsa Oilers at the Spirit Event Center.