Meth is a well-known drug in Grayson County and many surrounding counties.

It's so well-known that 50 percent of high school students know of someone who uses or has tried the highly addictive drug.

Law enforcement agencies such as the Kentucky State Police and Grayson County Sheriff's Depart-ment are working with the Board of Education to educate students on the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

The Grayson County School System already incorporates the "Here's Looking At You" program, similar to the DARE program, to teach children in the sixth-grade to say no to drugs.

KSP officer David Norris works through the program, visiting schools in the county to discuss the affects of drugs and give students alternative ideas on ways to spend their time and how to say no.

Sheriff's Detective Bryan Hammons visited Grayson County High School Thursday, March 18 to speak to Jerry Schlosser's class on domestic violence and drugs.

"I was surprized students knew so much," Hammons said.

"They could list most of the ingredients used to make meth and a lot of kids new the signs and symptoms of a person on the drug."

Although efforts are being made to protect students from drugs, it is obviously not enough. According to Hammons, 44 drug related incidents have been reported at the high school since August.

As Hammons taught in his class, drugs lead to other crimes such as domestic violence, theft and assualt.

Meth is the worst drug Hammons has seen in his career. In addition to Grayson County Sheriffs Department, he has worked with Leitchfield City Police, Grayson County EMS and Leitchfield Volunteer Fire Department.

The ingredients to make meth are all poisonous in and of themselves but together, they create a substance that can be lethal even in the production.

The most dangerous ingredient in meth is anhydrous ammonia, a substance that is very dry and can cause an eyeball to shrivel if splashed in it.

Hammons said 95 percent of the people that try meth are hooked on the drug the first time and most meth dealers are users, trying to make money to buy more of the drug.

Consequences of possession of meth, a felony offence, is one to five years. If a person is found manufacturing the drug the penalty is 10-20 years.

Marijuana, alcohol and other drugs are sometimes used as a "gateway" to meth.

Once hooked on meth it is very difficult to get off. Hammons said, in most cases, to have a chance of kicking the meth habit, a minimum of two-year rehabilitation would be necessary.

Hammons cautioned the students to watch who they are hanging around with and to speak up if they know of a meth user.