Pubdate: Fri, 02 Jun 2006 Source: Casper Star-Tribune (WY) Copyright: 2006 Jackson Hole News Contact: http://www.casperstartribune.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/765 Author: Jared Miller Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) ETHETE -- Gov. Dave Freudenthal on Wednesday said the state's best chance to control methamphetamine addiction will come from the grassroots. He said state government can fight the highly addictive stimulant with stepped-up law enforcement and treatment for addicts, but community-based solutions will work best over the long term. "Ultimately, this is an issue that will be resolved one person at a time, one family at a time, one community at a time," said Freudenthal, who made his remarks at a three-day meth awareness and prevention conference on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Freudenthal, a Democrat, also spoke at last year's reservation meth conference, but his presence this year is noteworthy because of the prominence meth addiction has gained in the gubernatorial race. Earlier this month, likely Republican challenger Ray Hunkins pledged to create a cabinet-level position to oversee the fight against meth if he's elected. The Wheatland lawyer and rancher also criticized limited success by the state to implement a single plan to counter the meth epidemic. Freudenthal, in response, called Hunkins' plan a "recycled federal drug czar model" that he considered and rejected because of its "top-down, state government" approach. About 300 people attended the third annual meth conference at Wyoming Indian High School Wednesday. School teachers, social workers, tribal leaders and reservation residents shared information and stories about the devastating drug. Last Friday, federal officials announced the arrests of 43 people involved in a methamphetamine distribution ring that targeted the reservation. The bust netted 20 pounds of meth, guns and cash and was the second such crackdown on the reservation in the last 18 months. Authorities said drug gangs are targeting the reservation because of law enforcement loopholes that made it difficult to track and prosecute offenders, although officials say those problems have been resolved. Freudenthal told Wednesday's audience that the entire state needs to focus on meth. "The notion that the methamphetamine problem is simply a reservation problem is incorrect," said Freudenthal, a former U.S. attorney for the state of Wyoming for more than seven years. Freudenthal praised the Wind River reservation for recognizing meth addiction problems, but he said more must be done. He urged adults to watch for early behaviors in children that might indicate they will eventually take drugs. He also said communities need to reward good behavior and make it clear that drug dealing will not be tolerated. "While the state has a role," Freudenthal said, "the key is what you are doing as a community on this reservation." Millie Friday, a tribal member from Ethete who heard Freudenthal speak, was happy to hear him say that meth is a state problem. She's worried that Wyoming residents will read accounts of the recent drug bust and inaccurately believe the reservation's problem is worse than other areas. June Shakespeare, a social worker from Arapahoe, said she hopes people will take Freudenthal's grassroots approach to heart. "Everybody needs to get on the same page and say we're not going to let this in our community," Shakespeare said. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin