Pubdate: Tue, 22 Feb 2005
Source: Oak Ridger (TN)
Copyright: 2005 The Oak Ridger
Contact:  http://www.oakridger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1146
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ANOTHER VIEW: STATE NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION ON METH NOW

Gov. Bredesen's task force on methamphetamine abuse did a very rare thing.
It delivered on a straightforward, common sense strategy to quell the
growing methamphetamine epidemic in Tennessee.

Now, it's up to the legislature to craft those recommendations into
effective legislation. And the clock is ticking.

In its last report on the subject, the Department of Children's Services
reported that in roughly a year's time, more than 750 children were placed
in state custody as a result of methamphetamine incidents.

Last year, law enforcement authorities seized more than 1,200 labs in the
state - a 400 percent increase from 2000.

As a result of this explosive, exponential growth, Tennessee now accounts
for a staggering 75 percent of all the meth lab seizures in the entire
southeastern United States.

The problems of meth production and addiction are complex. But the
governor's task force approached them in a thoughtful manner, delivering
approximately three dozen detailed recommendations as part of a preliminary
plan that contains seven fundamental cornerstones for an effective strategy.

The panel, which delivered its recommendations ahead of schedule, not only
did its job superbly but in acting as swiftly as it did it also recognized
that time is of the essence.

As the 104th Tennessee General Assembly settles down to work, it remains to
lawmakers to take these proposals and make them work as envisioned.

Given the immense scope of the problem, fighting illegal meth labs and the
poisonous product they make won't be easy. But lawmakers should not turn
aside from this effort simply because it is difficult, nor stint on the
funding needed to eradicate it. 
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MAP posted-by: Josh