ATTORNEY GENERAL PICKS TASK FORCE TO FIGHT METH

Attorney General Troy King on Wednesday announced the formation of a task
force to fight what he described as the "plague" of methamphetamine.

King held a news conference in Birmingham and released the names of 26
prosecutors, law enforcement officers, doctors, child advocates and others
who will serve on the task force. The group's first meeting will be
Wednesday at the State House.

King said the federal Drug Enforcement Administration rates meth as
Alabama's No. 1 drug threat. He said use and manufacture of the drug is
spreading.

Some rural counties have reported numerous meth labs for years, and
operations have moved to urban areas. Officers from Jefferson County and
Tarrant seized a meth lab Friday that was believed to be the largest ever in
the county.

"Exact numbers are hard to come by," King said. "But one thing all the
numbers point to is that this crime is exploding. It is destroying
communities, it is destroying families."

Methamphetamine is a powerful and addictive stimulant. It can be made in
homes, storage sheds and even vehicles from readily available chemicals. The
key ingredient is pseudoephedrine, which is in nonprescription pills for
nasal congestion. It also is imported, much of it from Mexico.

King said the task force's first priority is to develop a state policy to
help children who are found in homes where meth is being made. Another goal,
he said, is to develop resources to help law enforcement officers who aren't
equipped to handle the problems caused by meth addiction and labs. He also
called for education and awareness efforts.

"We need everyone in Alabama to be a meth deputy," King said.

Marshall County District Attorney Steve Marshall said King's announcement
was encouraging. "Whatever recommendations come out, they're going to have
to be funded and funded in a manner that makes a difference," said Marshall,
whose county is among those hardest hit by the drug.

King agreed that stopping the spread of meth could be expensive, although he
did not issue a call for new funding. "We're not calling on people to hire
more deputies and police officers," King said. "Whoever you have, we want to
give them the tools they need to be effective."

King supports state legislation aimed at the problem. Last week, the House
of Representatives passed a bill to restrict the sales of pills containing
pseudoephedrine. The bill now goes to the Senate. King said he also supports
legislation passed to make it a felony, punishable by one to 10 years in
prison, to expose children to danger from a meth lab.

King said he expected the task force to recommend additional legislation.

He gave no timeline for the task force to issue recommendations, though he
said the state already is behind in addressing the problem.

Members of the task force include Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale,
Jefferson County District Attorney David Barber and Shelby County Sheriff
Chris Curry.