Pubdate: Wed, 12 Apr 2006
Source: Hickory Daily Record (NC)
Copyright: 2006 Hickory Daily Record
Contact:  http://www.hickoryrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1109
Author:  Kim Gilliland
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

MESSAGE TO RALEIGH: SEND MORE MONEY

Law Enforcement Officials Plead Case In Battle Against Meth.

LENOIR -- Lynne Vasquez's son lost 80 pounds, his kids and his 
freedom thanks to a methamphetamine addiction.

Chad is now serving time in a federal prison.

Vasquez shared her story Tuesday with the chairman of the U.S. House 
Government Reform Subcommittee during a special meeting in Lenoir. 
"The struggle to stay clean is hard," Vasquez told Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind.

Vasquez was one of six witnesses testifying at the hearing. Souder 
was here at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry. The 10th 
District Republican represents 10 North Carolina counties, including 
Caldwell, Catawba and Burke. Those three counties had 18 meth lab 
busts in 2005.

John Emerson, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in 
Charlotte, said 80 percent of meth comes from "super labs" in Mexico 
and California. This meth is extremely potent but less toxic. The 
other 20 percent comes from small labs that produce a highly toxic 
form of meth, Emerson said.

Law enforcement aims to stem both sources. But it takes money, Souder said.

Jay Gaither, district attorney for Burke, Caldwell and Catawba 
counties, says more needs to be done in Raleigh.

"North Carolina cannot abdicate its responsibility," Gaither said. 
"The state lab is woefully underfunded. It takes nine to 12 months to 
get results back. People are arrested and make bond, and continue to 
trade drugs and flaunt our laws while the DA's office waits for the 
lab results."

Gaither wants money to fund the state labs so criminals can be put on 
trial quickly.

Richard Carsner, a Democrat who is McHenry's opponent for the U.S. 
House, said the hearing Tuesday was political grandstanding. He 
questions McHenry's efforts to address the meth epidemic.

"If he wants to promote himself as dedicated to ending production of 
(meth), why did he vote to cut in half federal funding for local law 
enforcement?" Carsner said in a news release. "His approach is 
shortsighted and irresponsible."

Vasquez wants help. She doesn't care if it's from Democrats or Republicans.

"It's hard to watch your son die. That's what I did," she said.

Jennifer Menster, Record staff writer, contributed to this article.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman