Murfreesboro Rotary members were shocked to learn of two unwanted areas in which Rutherford County is number one.
Drugs-Gangs-Sex
TN-Zero Chairwoman Kathy Hines told Rotarians that drugs and gangs are inter-related with human trafficking. She explained that is sex slavery and it's a $32-billion industry. The gangs have learned "that's where the money is and they are putting down guns and picking-up drugs and prostitution."
Human Trafficking
How big of a human trafficking problem do we have? TN-Zero statistics show that 4,000 children were sold for sex last year in the Volunteer State.
She said, "Over the past 9-months there has been a dramatic increase in the use of and interest in synthetic chemicals. They are sold under the guise of plant food, bath salts, herbal incense, and potpourri."
Hines noted that particularly children who have not fully matured are the ones hurt the most by synthetic drugs. She cited instances where 12-year old Tennessee children had full-blown heart attacks after taking these checmicals.
Slap On The Hands
Hines explained that the state is handing out $75 fines to offenders, and that's not much of a deterrant when stores sometimes sell around $1-million of the product yearly.
Hines was quick to point-out that law enforcement agencies here in Rutherford County are setting a precedence across the state by being aggressive in enforcement.
She applauded State Representative Mike Sparks for putting teeth in legislation to curb the use and sale of synthetic drugs. In the case of exposure to bath salts, the Smyrna Republican's law brought a 1,300 per cent increase of reports to the Poison Control Center.
For more information, check their website at www.tnzero.com.