Pubdate: Mon, 24 Sep 2007
Source: Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (WY)
Copyright: 2007 The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
Contact:  http://www.wyomingnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1217
Author: Cameron Mathews
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH USE NOT SLOWING

While other states are seeing a decline in  methamphetamine use, local
officials say that isn't the  case here.

By Cameron Mathews

CHEYENNE - The noose methamphetamine has tied around  Wyoming hasn't
loosened its chokehold over the last  several months.

While meth use in Montana has plummeted, local drug  experts are
wishing they could report the same thing.

"The problem is about the same as it has been the last  few months,"
said Police Sgt. Terrance Bell. "Meth use  is always at the top of our
list."

Montana officials say the recent use of anti-meth  advertising, like
graphic television, radio and  billboard ads, has helped to curb the
level of meth use  there.

Members of the Cheyenne Meth Initiative have recently  been working to
come up with their own strategies to  keep the psychostimulant out.

Kurt Zunker, vice president of the initiative, said the  biggest
problem he is seeing at city, county and state  levels is the lack of
any real data to determine if use  is up or down here.

"We can't put our thumb on it," he said. "We are  lacking the ability
to make any definitive statements  whether meth use has decreased or
leveled off."

 From Zunker's day-to-day experiences here, he says the  level of drug
use hasn't faltered.

"We haven't had the kind of big drug busts or arrests  since last
year," he said. "But, that doesn't mean that  use here has decreased."

Public education is the first step, according to the  Cheyenne-Laramie
County Methamphetamine Assessment  Project done in February.

The public education system has a critical role when it  comes to
prevention as well as treatment of youth  substance abuse, the report
shows.

Allison Minugh with Datacorp echoed Zunker's comments,  saying there
is a lack of data regarding  methamphetamine use. And any data the
city, county or  state has right now isn't coordinated.

Efforts are in motion by the meth initiative to turn  that trend
around.

Methamphetamine has started to affect people in school,
neighborhoods, the workforce and the rest of the  community.

It's a drug that affects everyone in at least one way  or
another.

Some factual findings from the report show the  following:

- - Substance abuse is a serious factor with  approximately 65 to 75
percent of the juveniles on  probation in Laramie County.

- - The district attorney estimated that 80 percent of  all criminal
cases filed in circuit and district court  involve drug offenses.

- - There's been a 192 percent increase since 2003 in  treatment
admissions for meth use.

Easy access, low cost, peer pressure and boredom  factors attached to
the drug are keeping the problem a  consistent top priority.

Lisa Scholz, the recently hired Cheyenne-Laramie County  meth
coordinator, said when looking at populations of  people ages 18 to 25
years old, Wyoming has the second  highest use rate in the country.

The driving factors now are education in schools,  intervention, and
better treatment and transitional  living after addicts have
re-entered the system, Scholz  said.

"This is a community effort for sure," she said.  "Social services,
the court system, community citizens  and law enforcement have to get
involved. We all must  have heightened awareness. Knowledge is power."
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