BILL TO AID WAR AGAINST METH

The Spending Plan Would Increase Marion County'S Resources

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a spending
measure that earmarks $300,000 to help Marion County clean up
methamphetamine labs and bust people who produce the highly addictive
illegal stimulant.

"These resources will be a great boost in combating the drug pushers
who prey upon our children and communities," Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.,
said.

The local money is included in a spending bill that still requires
full Senate approval. It would pay for two vehicles to be used in area
methamphetamine investigations, plus a third vehicle that would be
used to clean up contaminated meth lab sites, Marion County officials
said.

Typically, in the aftermath of a drug raid, the county contracts with
a Portland-based contractor to clean up toxic chemicals, lab equipment
and debris produced by the meth "cooking" process, Deputy Michael
Sommer said. The cost of cleaning up a lab site can range from $2,000
to $10,000, he said.

If Marion County can obtain its own specialized vehicle, "that will
allow us to do our own cleanups," thus cutting costs, Sommer said.

In 2001, drug agents took down 27 labs in Marion County. Last year,
the number soared to 51. So far this year, 25 labs have been seized.

"It's extremely active," Sommer said of the local meth trade. "It's
just a good designer drug that's real cheap and easy to make."

Meth's high comes from ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which can be
extracted from common cold medications, such as Sudafed. Other
commonly used ingredients include battery acid, gasoline, rock salt,
drain cleaner, lye, lantern fuel, iodine crystals and red phosphorous,
which can be found in matchstick tips.

Methamphetamine has become entrenched as the stimulant of choice in
Marion County and most other Oregon counties because it is cheaper
than cocaine and delivers a longer-lasting high.

"It gives people a feeling of invincibility," Sommer
said.

Heavy meth use can produce addiction, psychotic behavior,
hallucinations, violence and criminal activity ranging from petty
theft to homicide. Locally, police blame meth users for about 90
percent of all property crimes, half of all domestic violence cases
and one third of all child abuse incidents.

Last month, at a law enforcement summit in Salem, about 50 police
chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and other officials urged Wyden and U.S.
Rep. Darlene Hooley to ratchet up federal support to help fight the
state's raging meth epidemic.

"These funds will help us continue the battle against methamphetamine
production and use," Wyden said. "I'm very pleased we were able to
show that the federal government has a real stake in the outcome of
this battle in Marion County."