By Jordan Gentile
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

MARION, Ohio - With methamphetamine abuse in Cincinnati and other Ohio cities skyrocketing, officials are meeting in Marion today to search for ways to handle a growing epidemic.

In the Cincinnati area alone, the number of illegal meth labs has risen 93 percent in the past four years, says James Shroba, the resident agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Cincinnati.

"It has inflicted this community with zest," he said.

With the popularity of methamphetamines spreading fast, Attorney General Jim Petro, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other groups are hosting a two-day summit where more than 250 lawmakers, police and health care officials are discussing ways to reverse the trend.

"It's growing on a daily basis," Petro said Tuesday in a speech that kicked off the event. "The damage is not just to the user, but to people all around us."

Abusing methamphetamines can cause effects similar to schizophrenia, and addicts are often violent, paranoid and gaunt in appearance.

The drug's rapid rise in popularity may indicate just how addictive it is, Shroba said. "It's a speedier high than cocaine and the effect lasts a lot longer - that's why people go back."

Officials at the summit participated in workshops Tuesday designed to cover the basics: Treatment, prosecution and invest-igation.

Today, participants will break into teams representing different parts of the state. Each group will meet with experts to discuss local issues dealing with methamphetamines.

"A lot of the participants have never had to deal with this problem," said Tom Stanchfield, spokesman for the National Crime Prevention Council, which is co-hosting the event.

Fixing the situation, Stanchfield says, has a lot to do with cracking down on methamphetamine labs.

The production of methamphetamine requires explosive chemicals to be mixed and heated, making them extremely dangerous. Exposure to these labs can cause permanent harm to the brain and respiratory system, and skin contact may cause third-degree burns and nerve damage.

"The important question is, how long has it been in the house and how many people have been exposed to it before it's found," said Linda Oros, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates how methamphetamine labs are disposed. Because methamphetamines are so frequently produced in homes, one of the biggest concerns among drug officials is the exposure children face. Thirty percent of labs have children living near them when they are seized, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Despite these daunting statistics, Shroba said the summit should be counted as progress.

"It's always a good thing when we come together like this," he said. "It's going to take a combination of law enforcement and the community to make an impact."

Gannett News Service reporter Tim Koehler contributed to this story.