CNN reporter rides with Calif. deputy to document 'meth hell'
"Every single stop the deputy makes on this shift involves meth,” said reporter Kyung Lah
By Suzie Ziegler
FRESNO, Calif. — During a graveyard shift this week, Deputy Todd Burk gave CNN reporter Kyung Lah a firsthand look at Fresno County’s methamphetamine crisis. Lah was there to report on the rising meth-related overdose deaths in the city, according to GW Wire.
“Methamphetamine is destroying the community. It’s fueling nothing but crimes,” Burk said Tuesday during a CNN report titled 'Fresno's meth hell.'
According to the Fresno County coroner’s office, meth has contributed to more overdose deaths than any other kind of drug. Of the 184 single-drug overdose deaths in 2020, meth was the culprit for 121 of them.
“Meth has taken control of a large swath of Fresno County,” said CNN.
In between calls, Burk tells Lah about his experiences with meth-users in the community.
“Even if they want to stop using, they can’t. Their bodies won’t let them,” he says. “It’s so easy to obtain.”
Our thanks to @FresnoSheriff, and especially Deputy Todd Burk, for allowing us to see the hard work they do, night after night. pic.twitter.com/O81OHp7RvU
— Kyung Lah (@KyungLahCNN) November 30, 2021
Afterward, Lah said that every single stop she and Burk made that night involved meth. But it’s not just a problem in Fresno County.
According to CNN, meth use is skyrocketing. In April 2021, one-quarter of overdose deaths nationwide involved meth and other psychostimulants – up nearly 50% from last year.
But Burk isn’t backing down from the challenge.
“I want to see someone who’s high on methamphetamine change their life and become a productive citizen,” he told CNN.