ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS METH USE SEEMS TO BE DECLINING

HELENA -- The Montana attorney general and the Montana Meth Project
released a report Wednesday they say shows attitudes in the state are
turning against meth and appears to indicate use of the drug is declining.

The joint report found that Montana employees testing positive for
meth fell more than 70 percent between 2005 and 2006, which they said
was the largest decrease in the country.

ADVERTISEMENT Attorney General Mike McGrath said that there were 15
clandestine meth labs in the state in 2006, but since October only
one has been reported by the Drug Enforcement Administration. He said
the report was drawn from information from drug task force incident
reports, law enforcement statistics, crime lab reports, hospital
discharge and admission information, survey results and interviews
with agencies.

"Clearly the highly visible prevention campaign conducted by the
Montana Meth Project has had an enormous impact," McGrath said.

The $6 million-a-year meth project has blanketed Montana airwaves and
billboards with anti-meth advertisement. Gov. Brian Schweitzer has
proposed spending state money to help with the campaign.

McGrath also pointed to 2005 laws cracking down on the drugs used to make meth.

Other findings:

# 93 percent of students now say meth use is a "great risk."

# Meth seizures decreased from 583 in 2005 to 284 in 2006, according
to the Montana Board of Crime Control.

# The Montana Board of Crime Control says that meth-related offenses
dropped from 1,259 in 2005 to 589 in 2006.