Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2005
Source: Knoxville News-Sentinel (TN)
Copyright: 2005 The Knoxville News-Sentinel Co.
Contact:  http://www.knoxnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/226
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH: GOOD NEWS BUT FIGHT STILL ON

The methamphetamine statistics were pretty scary last year.

They're still scary, but they're getting better, and that's thanks to
Tennessee's efforts to control the problem.

According to figures from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, meth lab
busts decreased by 59 percent in June compared to the same time last year.
The month before, the decrease was 39 percent.

"Two consecutive months of lab declines is good news for communities
across Tennessee," Gov. Phil Bredesen said in a news release. "We're
cautiously optimistic the trend will continue."

The good news, of course, is the fact that a decline in the number of
meth labs busted generally is assumed to mean that the number of labs
have declined. And that should translate into fewer burn injuries and
deaths and fewer children taken from parents who exposed them to meth
labs.

Meth is an addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous
system. It is produced in clandestine labs across Tennessee, and the
state has been named one of the worst for making illegal meth. The
drug often is manufactured in rural areas because the process creates
a noticeable odor.

Last year, law enforcement authorities seized 1,574 labs in Tennessee,
the second-highest lab seizure rate in the nation. Only Missouri had a
higher seizure rate.

Cooking the drug creates toxic vapors, and that's why the state has
removed more than 700 children in the last six months from parents who
exposed them to meth labs.

The chairman of a task force set up by the governor last year to study
meth abuse attributes a good part of the decrease in meth busts to a
new law that requires pharmacies to put certain cold and sinus
products behind the counter. Those products contain pseudophedrine, an
important ingredient in cooking meth.

While the decline in meth lab busts is good news, it is not time to
let our guard down. There is some concern that meth manufacturers will
go to neighboring states to bring cold and sinus medication back to
Tennessee. Officials have been working with other states to encourage
them to adopt similar legislation to Tennessee's.

"If they don't, we'll just have to combat that in different ways,"
said Mark Gwyn, director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and
a task force member. "That includes surveillance and hot lines."

In addition, the task force is working on a public awareness campaign
to educate people about the drug and a meth Web site,
http://www.methfreetn.org, similar to the sex offender registry that will
list convicted meth offenders.

"We're not going to solve the meth problem overnight," Bredesen said.
"But if we stay focused on the fundamental issues, then we're going to
have an impact and make a difference."

We agree. We've made progress, but we must stay vigilant.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin