Pubdate: Fri, 06 Oct 2000
Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)
Copyright: 2000 The Billings Gazette
Contact:  P.O. Box 36300, Billings, MT 59101-6300
Fax: 406-657-1208
Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/
Author: Scott Bauer, Associated Press Writer

WESTERN OFFICIALS DISCUSS WAYS TO REDUCE DRUG PROBLEM

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Calling methamphetamine a cheap poison that is
destroying lives and communities across the country, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne of
Idaho and Mike Johanns of Nebraska kicked off a drug policy meeting
Thursday.

About 70 people, including judges, police officers and substance abuse
counselors from Nebraska, Idaho, Wyoming, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico and
American Samoa met in Lincoln for the two-day conference to discuss ways to
reduce the demand for illegal drugs.

"The problem is getting worse," said Shawn Kellerman, a former meth addict
turned drug counselor. "The clients are getting younger and younger."

Johanns noted that in Nebraska, juvenile drug arrests have increased 412
percent the past 10 years, while crime overall has dropped 6 percent.

In rural areas, drug arrests went up 603 percent since 1990.

"We’re just seeing way too much drug use," he said.

Finding ways to fund treatment for those drug users is the most effective
way to battle the problem, Johanns said.

In Idaho, $21 million is targeted for drug programs, but it is divided among
six different state agencies. Putting all that money into one concise effort
would be more effective, Kempthorne said.

He called drug abuse one of the most difficult and pervasive problems facing
the country today.

"It’s everywhere," he said. "Absolutely everywhere."

Kempthorne and Johanns said more needs to be done to prevent drug abuse and
treat people who are addicted, not just build more prisons to lock up
offenders.

If the focus is only on imprisoning drug users, states are fighting a losing
battle, Kempthorne said.

"We want to be tough on crime but we also want to have the treatment
available," he said.

Discussions at the meetings centered on defining the problem of drug and
alcohol abuse, finding solutions and developing strategies to implement
them.

While the state representatives worked on those issues, Johanns and
Kempthorne heard presentations from the Nebraska State Patrol about their
efforts to combat the selling and distribution of drugs and from state
health officials about treatment programs in the state.

In Nebraska in 1990, the state patrol seized 254 pounds of marijuana and
less than two pounds of meth and cocaine combined. So far this year, the
patrol has seized 199 pounds of cocaine, 54 pounds of meth and 3,500 pounds
of marijuana.

While meth is widely used today, another drug called ecstasy is gaining
popularity among young people, the governors were told.

"Sadly, I expect the drug of 2005 will be different than the drug of 2000,"
Johanns said.

The two governors also planned to tour Centerpointe, a mental health and
substance abuse treatment facility for juveniles in Lincoln.

The drug policy meeting, sponsored by the Western Governor’s Association,
will be followed-up with another two-day gathering in Arizona in December. A
drug policy summit is scheduled for June in Idaho.
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