Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2006
Source: Helena Independent Record (MT)
Copyright: 2006 Helena Independent Record
Contact:  http://helenair.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1187
Author: Noelle Straub, Lee Washington Bureau
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)

ANTI-METH PLAN TARGETS PRODUCERS IN MEXICO

WASHINGTON -- Federal officials outlined a strategy Thursday to 
reduce methamphetamine use by 15 percent and domestic meth labs by 25 
percent by the end of 2008 through cooperation with other countries 
and increased domestic enforcement. Several federal agencies joined 
together to release the 53-page 2006 Synthetic Drug Control Strategy, 
which lists the Bush administration's goals and proposals to stem the 
flow of both meth and the chemicals used to make the drug.

John Walters, White House drug policy director, said the number of 
domestic meth labs has decreased but that production has shifted to 
foreign countries, especially Mexico.

"We have the tools and knowledge to be able to make the difference," 
said Walters. "We are making progress against these efforts. This is 
about follow-through."

Ambassador Eduardo Ibarrola, the deputy chief of mission at the 
Mexican Embassy, joined in the press conference at the Justice 
Department to pledge his country's cooperation with the U.S. in combating meth.

"Our countries alone cannot confront the great challenge of drug 
trafficking or the ability of organized crime to generate violence 
and to foment corruption," he said. "That is why international 
cooperation is imperative."  The strategy calls for the U.S. to 
improve information gathering and intelligence from other countries 
about shipments of chemicals that can be used to make meth. The 
administration has a goal of reaching agreements with Germany, China 
and India by the end of the year on greater sharing of information 
about such transactions.

It also calls for strengthening law enforcement and border control 
activities, particularly with Mexico. The Drug Enforcement 
Administration and Mexican law enforcement officials will establish 
specialized meth enforcement teams on their respective sides of the border.

The plans also include implementing the Combat Meth Act, which 
President Bush signed into law in March. That law sets a national 
standard for restricting the retail sale of chemicals that can be 
used to make meth and increased penalties for meth cooks and traffickers.

The report said the federal government will continue cooperating with 
state, local and tribal governments on the meth problem, including 
grants for treatment and prevention programs, collection and sharing 
of data and funding four regional summits on meth.

Walters said additional federal money will be provided for school 
districts that choose to use random drug testing as part of their 
prevention efforts.

Many of the proposals already had been announced individually, but 
the report drew them together into an overall plan.

State laws controlling retail access to over-the-counter cold 
medicines that contain pseudoephedrine have reduced meth's domestic 
production, and a larger proportion of the drug now comes across the 
border as a final product, the officials said.

About 20 percent of meth used in the U.S. comes from domestic labs 
and roughly 80 percent is produced by foreign-based drug trafficking 
syndicates, officials said.

Current and previous administrations have avoided issuing strategies 
focused on a single drug or category of drugs such as synthetics, 
which includes both meth and prescription drug abuse, the report said.

But meth and prescription drugs warrant a targeted response, partly 
because they or their ingredients are designed for legal uses and 
also because of the extreme health and environmental problems from 
making meth and the "indisputably destructive nature" of meth use, 
the report states.

The goal of 15 percent reduction in both meth use and prescription 
drug abuse translates in real numbers to 87,000 fewer meth users and 
901,000 fewer prescription drug abusers, the report states.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman