Convicted meth lab chemist caught brewing drug again (Reflection Paper)

The Case
Five months after pleading guilty to making methamphetamine in his Old Jefferson apartment, a man was brewing up new batches, this time in a Harahan home, authorities said. Three suspects were arrested Wednesday morning, July 10, 2013 after police found the meth lab, according to Harahan Police Chief Mac Dickinson. Michael Price-Williams, 39, Jacquelyn Dunn, 34, and Jonathan Hanson, 33, were booked on drug-related charges. Officials were seeking to revoke Price-Williams' probation for his January conviction of possession of methamphetamine and creation of a clandestine lab, according to court records.

The Issue
The manufacturing in itself of the meth and other DEA prohibited drugs poses serious problems in the chemist and the environment. These prohibited drugs are very easy to synthesize, even at houses where clandestine lab can be built (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, underground, garage, open area, etc) because precursor chemicals can just be bought over the counter just like the drugs at the pharmacies. Article II section 8 and sec. 10 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs of 2002 illegalizes the manufacture of these prohibited drugs, even the shipment of these drugs. During manufacture, toxic fumes and other toxic gases can be emitted out to the environment. These toxic gases emitted from the manufacture of prohibited drugs can be mixed with the gas we are normally breathing, thus, these pollutants pose serious health risks to animals and humans. Others may also just flush these toxic chemicals on the sinks. With this act, the operating chemist has already violated his responsibility on the Chemist code of Ethics for his Environment. Other violated codes of ethics from the Board of Chemistry are Sections 3 and 5.

Building a meth clandestine laboratory alone poses a serious environmental hazards. Clandestine is an avenue for hidden transactions, its made with no legality. It may be a laboratory, but it does not exercise proper laboratory etiquettes that deeply concerns the environment such as proper waste disposal of the toxic chemicals Furthermore, clandestine laboratories do not have permission to operate and practice chemical works because it is hidden, hence, is an outlaw. Article III Sec. 35 of the Chemistry Act of 2010 states that Only firms, corporations, and government agencies which hold a Certificate of Authority to Operate from the Board may operate a chemical laboratory or engage in the practice of Chemistry or Chemical Analysis in the Philippines; provided further that such chemical practice is carried out only by registered Chemists or Chemical Analysts holding valid Certificates of Registration and Professional Identification issued by the Board. Furthermore, Article IV sec. 39 states that No chemical laboratory or firm shall undertake activities covered by this Act without a valid Certificate of Authority to Operate. It is then clear to us that these clandestine laboratories are outlaws, including the chemists operating in it.

Reflection
So even the building and operation of a clandestine laboratory is already sufficient as a ground for legal actions that would be taken by the authorities. The chemist, who is still on probation from his last crime, has just amplified his offense against the government. Manufacturing illegal drugs by nature is really destructive. It does not only destroy environment, it also destroys the lives of the chemists synthesizing it and the lives of the ones who took the drugs. For the chemist, he has to deal with toxic chemicals such as Iodine, Hydrochloric acid and Sodium hydroxide, ethers, red phosphorus, acetone, anhydrous ammonia, glycerol, and sodium nitrate that is associated with violent chemical reactions that are always encountered by the chemist every time he synthesizes meth. So in the end, it is not always good to involve ones self in illegal drugs business. After all, the limitations set by the laws and ethics imposed the authorities are there for our own good. He is guilty of his actions taken as cited by the violations made on the lawsuits earlier on this paper.