THE WAR AGAINST DRUGS

Meeting The Challenge Of The Meth Epidemic

Methamphetamine is a dangerous drug that is harming too many
Americans. But the federal government, together with its state and
local partners, is aggressively addressing this challenge.

Our efforts against meth have been unprecedented and increasingly
effective. Further, we were engaged in actions well before the recent
spate of media attention, and, in accord with our National Synthetic
Drugs Action Plan, are bringing forward new programs. The facts speak
for themselves.

Against meth use, we have new efforts in prevention and treatment.
From the launch of nationwide advertising in our media campaign
specific to the dangers of meth, to fundamental brain research
guiding our understanding of this drug's effects, to focused
treatment initiatives leading users to recovery, we have new programs
backed with budgetary commitments.

Against the problem of meth labs that produce toxic waste and place
police and fire department responders in serious jeopardy, we have
developed additional law enforcement and social services efforts that
have transformed this threat. The number of meth "super labs" that
relied on bulk diverted chemical precursors to make this poison has
been driven down by more than 80 percent since 2001. Programs for
drug-endangered children are now in 25 states, while interdiction and
toxic cleanup efforts have trained more than 9,300 meth lab
responders and cut the cost of lab remediation in some states by more
than 80 percent. The president's budget proposal for the 2006 fiscal
year requests additional resources for domestic law enforcement and
treatment -- $3.36 billion (a 2 percent increase) and $3.25 billion
(a 4.5 percent increase), respectively.

Finally, interventions against the diversion of retail medicines into
so-called small toxic labs are beginning to turn what had been a
rising tide. Where states have initiated programs to curtail
diversion, lab seizures have begun to plummet, an outcome that will
be strengthened by new federal legislation and voluntary industry-led programs.

As we are driving meth production out of our communities, an
increasing proportion is now smuggled in from labs beyond our
borders. Accordingly, we are stepping up our attack against meth
traffickers as priority federal targets, strengthening our border
interdictions and working internationally to stop the diversion of
precursor chemicals into countries such as Canada and Mexico.

To be sure, we cannot ignore the threat that methamphetamine poses to
communities across this nation. But neither can we ignore the
progress that we are making. We know how to fight back against
threats like this, with proven strategies that work. The most recent
data on meth use (2004) showed two things: While the overall number
of users was unchanged in the last two years (indicating that a
continuing rapid rise in users was not found), the response of young
people was especially positive. Past-year use of this drug by youth
fell 33 percent. The message is getting out; this drug is a deadly
trap from which young people are turning away.

Too many Americans are still harmed by methamphetamine. But strong
and effective policies are not created by distortion of the facts.

John Walters is White House director of drug control policy.