Pubdate: Wed, 11 May 2005
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Contact:  http://www.bdtonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1483
Author: Charles Owens
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

TASK FORCE HOPES TO CURTAIL GROWING THREAT OF METH IN SOUTHERN W.VA.

By working together, a new community task force in Mercer County is hoping 
to curtail the growing problem of methamphetamine in southern West Virginia.

Following a successful statewide summit last month on methamphetamine, it's 
good to see that local officials are acting now to seize upon the momentum 
and to develop a local strategy to address the growing danger before it can 
reach epidemic levels here.

If you are familiar with the drug problem in the region, you've probably 
heard about the emerging threat of the meth labs, and how it is relatively 
easy to obtain the ingredients necessary to create these highly explosive 
and hazardous drug labs. The problem has been particularly prevalent in 
Southwest Virginia, including a recent report of a meth lab blowing up in a 
hotel room in nearby Smyth County.

Although Gov. Manchin signed a bill into law last week limiting the 
widespread availability of such over-the-counter products that can be used 
in the creation of the meth labs in West Virginia, the new law is simply 
one important step in the right direction.

However, in order to successfully counter this latest drug scourge to hit 
the region, we as a community must unite together to stop the spread of 
meth before it can infiltrate the mountainous borders of southern West 
Virginia.

The first meeting of a new community task force aimed at addressing and 
countering the meth problem locally was held today in Princeton.

The task force aims to bring together various segments of the community, 
including law enforcement, emergency medical service personnel, fire and 
hazardous material crews, state health care officials, elected officials, 
youth, parents and business leaders.

The hope is that this diverse group can work together to address key issues 
relative to the methamphetamine problem, and to explore possible ways to 
protect our neighborhoods and families from the potential threat of 
methamphetamine and the highly explosive meth labs that can be built 
everywhere - from basements to vehicles.

While it's always easy to talk about the drug problem, taking action as a 
unified community task force is certainly a preferred alternative.

In asking me to help with the task force, Greg Puckett, project director of 
the Mercer County Drug Free Community Support Program and a member of the 
Creating Opportunities for Youth Coalition, emphasized that is it important 
to "strike while the iron is hot."

Greg is certainly correct.

The statewide summit last month did help to bring attention to the problem, 
and it is now important to keep that momentum going.

If we wait too long and let too much time pass, Puckett warned that 
interest will wane, and the ability of a community task force to tackle the 
problem efficiently and effectively also will be lost.

He could be correct.

A constant and coordinated campaign must be waged against the regional drug 
problem if we as a community working in harmony with law enforcement are to 
ultimately prevail in eliminating the drug scourge.

And timing and momentum can certainly play an important role in that endeavor.

Today's meeting will hopefully mark an important first step toward 
developing a calculated and comprehensive approach toward safeguarding our 
community, and our children, from the latest drug-related menace in the region.

By acting now, the task force can hopefully make a positive impact in the 
coming months by educating our community about the methamphetamine problem, 
and what we can do today working in conjunction with law enforcement to 
counter the threat, and to hopefully safeguard our borders from meth labs.

Charles Owens is the Daily Telegraph's city editor.
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