Pubdate: Sat, 23 May 2009
Source: Galesburg Register-Mail (IL)
Copyright: 2009 Galesburg Register-Mail
Contact: http://www.register-mail.com/news/letters/index.html
Website: http://www.galesburg.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3864
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

EDITORS' ROUNDTABLE: FIGHTING METH

What Can The Community Do To Fight The Spread Of Methamphetamine?

Make the drug unattractive

It's hard to say how we can effectively combat  methamphetamine in 
our community, or anywhere else. We  already attack the enemy on two 
fronts. We try to  educate our kids about the dangers of drug abuse 
and  advertising campaigns show teens and adults the  horrifying 
effects of meth addiction. We attempt to  limit access to the 
ingredients, infringing on the  freedoms of law-abiding cold-medicine 
users. Farmers  lock and monitor their anhydrous ammonia supplies.

When those measures fail, we rely on law enforcement to  sniff out 
meth labs -- sometimes a house fire makes it  easy -- and nab the 
fiends. Of course, by then we're  treating the symptom, not 
preventing the disease.  Sadly, it seems some folks are predisposed 
to drug abuse. The lure of the high overpowers the fear of 
the  consequences. The trick would seem to be to find a way  to 
reverse that. Make the prospects of meth addiction  so obvious and so 
terrible that it would lose it's  allure.

And if I knew how to do that, I probably wouldn't be in  the 
newspaper business. -- Rob Buck, local news editor

Get public involved in reporting labs

As we're figuring out the best way to combat  methamphetamine in our 
city, it's worth noting that  alcohol will kill far more people and 
ruin far more  lives than meth ever will.

Meth isn't destroying Galesburg, but it does pose a  danger. And, the 
Galesburg Police Department reports  seeing more meth activity over 
recent months.

Aside from the obvious harm it causes to those who use  it -- 
including their families (especially children) --  the biggest threat 
to our neighborhoods is the  manufacture of meth. GPD reports 31 
arrests since  January 2008 for production of methamphetamine.

Making meth requires the use of hazardous, flammable,  explosive 
chemicals, often by people who aren't  thinking safety first. No one 
wants one of these next  door, nor do they want the traffic that 
comes with  dealing meth in the neighborhood.

I honestly don't know how much emphasis the Knox County  Sheriff's 
Department and the city police put on busting  meth makers and 
dealers -- it's a hard thing to  quantify.

As residents we can educate ourselves about the signs  of meth labs 
and report that activity to the police.  The mayor's plan to form a 
group to coordinate efforts  between public entities and the police 
departments  could add focus to the effort. Part of that effort 
should be to help us identify people who have meth  addictions so we 
can try to get them some help. Maybe  we could establish a hotline 
people could call to find  help for friends and family members. Meth 
is a public  issue and the public must be a part of the solution. -- 
Tom Martin, editor

Prevention efforts need a boost

Local law enforcement agencies sharing information and  cracking down 
on meth labs obviously are big parts of  stopping the spread of meth 
production and use. So is  legislation such as the meth precursor 
act, which  prohibits a person from purchasing 7,500 milligrams 
or  more of any type of epehdrine-based cold medicine  during a 
30-day period, or from buying more than one  package at a time.

The significant number of people arrested on meth and  meth precursor 
charges each month shows these efforts  are working to combat the 
problem in some way.  Unfortunately, it also shows that meth is a 
serious  problem in this area and one that has the potential to 
spiral out of control.

According to the Illinois Meth Project, our state ranks  fourth in 
meth arrests in the country, and 72 percent  of the people in 
treatment for meth started using at  age 17 or younger. To curb the 
spread of meth use,  prevention efforts -- particularly those 
directed at  young people -- must be ramped up. Youth need to 
be  aware of the gruesome and devastating physical and  mental 
effects of methamphetamine -- and schools, law  enforcement agencies 
and drug use prevention  organizations need to be leading that 
charge. -- Jane Carlson, features editor
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