Pubdate: Thu, 07 Feb 2002
Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)
Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Examiner
Contact:  http://www.examiner.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/389

STATE'S METH WAR GOES TO THE AIR

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- The war against methamphetamine will hit the Central 
Valley airways soon in messages intended to inform the public and enlist 
their help.

Gov. Gray Davis said the state needs to develop zero tolerance for meth 
production as he announced the series of public service announcements 
Wednesday.

"Money by itself is not going to win the battle of methamphetamine," Davis 
said. "We need to get more information to the general public and more 
information from the general public."

The television spots, which will start airing this month in Kern, Fresno, 
Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties, seek to educate 
people about the dangers of meth and how to help police identify meth labs 
and distributors. The ads ask tipsters to call a toll-free number, 
1-866-METH-LAB.

One of the ads, which depicts a child, describes how toxic chemicals used 
to make meth can harm a person. Children are present in the homes of about 
30 percent of labs busted, Davis said.

About 80 percent of all meth manufactured in the United States comes from 
California, much of it from the Central Valley, according to state and 
federal law enforcement statistics.

The state has spent about $30 million for extra personnel and equipment to 
fight meth production, Davis said. Another $30 million has been earmarked 
in the next two years, including $250,000 for the public education campaign.

California will also get four new Drug Enforcement Agents to help in the 
state's anti-methamphetamine task force, Rep. Cal Dooley, D- Visalia, said. 
Agents who had previously been assigned to area were pulled after Sept. 11 
events to help fight terrorism, Dooley said.
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