COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN

Stopping the scourge of illegal methamphetamine production and use in
Alabama will require a multitude of efforts, including changes in state laws.

That's why Attorney General Troy King's newly appointed task force is a
good idea. The group includes prosecutors, law enforcement, physicians and
leaders of groups working with drug addiction. By bringing together a broad
group of interests, the task force can provide a credible game plan for
fighting one of the more troubling drug problems in America today.

Meth labs, which can be built in any kitchen, are turning up in rural small
towns, suburbs and cities across the nation. Alabama hasn't been spared:
The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration reports that 297 meth labs were
found in Alabama in 2004, compared to 280 in 2003 and 207 in 2002.

Indeed, hardly a month goes by without a new report that Mobile or Baldwin
County authorities have busted a meth lab or made other arrests in
connection with the manufacture or use of the drug.

Though the task force has yet to get started, it's not too early for the
Legislature to step up the battle against the dangerous drug by approving
two pieces of legislation Mr. King has recommended. One would make it
harder to buy some types of cold medications and decongestants that are
used to produce methamphetamines. Another would make it a separate crime to
expose children to a meth lab.

The attorney general's task force can serve Alabama by proposing other
strategies and building public interest in the importance of controlling
the manufacture and use of meth. It is an insidious drug that can addict
users, endangering their health and damaging families.