http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/205986
Feds vow to back meth war 2005-05-04 by Darren Dunlap of The Daily Times Staff GATLINBURG -- Much has been done, but the country has a long way to go in the fight against meth and the war on terror, speakers said Tuesday at a regional law enforcement conference. The problem of methamphetamine production, addiction and suffering by the families of users is being seen in every state, Karen Tandy, administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said. Tandy said collaboration among agencies at every level has led to major busts and the reduction of LSD, cocaine and Ecstasy use. Meth remains a problem, but she said use among teens is down. Large meth labs, called ``superlabs,'' have moved into Mexico because of U.S. enforcement efforts, and the drug is now being smuggled over the border, she said. East Tennessee also has a bigger problem with meth manufacture than other regions of the state. Thirty-three states have meth legislation pending, she said. A lot of legislatures are paying attention to a new Oklahoma law that's resulted in a sharp reduction of meth cases in that state. The new law put cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine (a key ingredient in meth manufacture) behind the pharmaceutical counters. In recent months, drug manufacturers have moved to reformulate cold remedies with pseudoephedrine, while retailers from Wal-Mart to Walgreen's have decided to put the medicines behind the counter and control purchases. ``The opportunities we have to make a difference have never been better than right now,'' Tandy said. ``But it is not enough.'' U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales also mentioned meth during his remarks to the conference, organized by federal prosecutors in Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. ``I know in particular that meth production is an increasing threat in the Southeast,'' he said. ``Meth labs can overcome small towns quickly, bringing violent crime, endangering young children and exposing the public to dangerous chemicals and toxins.'' Gonzales promised to help state and local law enforcers identify meth production labs quickly and find ways through legislation and prosecution ``to cut off the supplies, the means and incentives for meth use and distribution.'' War on terror Gonzales was optimistic about the work done by law enforcement since the Sept. 11 terrorism attacks, but he said he believed the country is still a target for attacks by Al-Qaida. The nation, he said, cannot relax its efforts in the war on terror. ``We can't assume the quiet of today and grow complacent tomorrow,'' Gonzales said Tuesday, the first day of the conference. He reiterated his support for the Patriot Act. Gonzales said the law will ``protect America while protecting American civil liberties.'' Gonzales doesn't expect discussion over the controversial law to quieten anytime soon and welcomed future debate. He lauded law enforcement agents for their work in the war on terror in the face of ``tightening budgets and shortening resources.'' Gonzales, appointed by President Bush in February, said other priorities for the U.S. Attorney General's Office include cracking down on obscenity, gang activity and human trafficking. ``It happens on our shores,'' he said. ``Aliens are smuggled in, treated as commodities and stripped of their humanity.'' The son of Mexican migrant workers, Gonzales grew up in Texas and eventually became lead liaison to Bush when he was governor of the state on Mexico and border issues. ``We have a great deal of work ahead and we will need every one of our resources to get it done,'' he said. ``You are the strength and the hope of our nation against the war on terror.'' [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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