METH ARRESTS STILL EPIDEMIC

Few counties in Washington, no matter how large, had as many
methamphetamine lab busts last year as Benton County.

The only counties topping Benton for busts were the state's most
populous Pierce, King, Spokane and Thurston, according to the
Washington State Patrol and state Department of Ecology. The state
ranks third behind No. 1 California and Missouri for meth lab busts in
the United States.

The top counties, as well as Grant and Walla Walla counties, have meth
action teams that target meth manufacturers, said Marcia Via, Eastern
Washington Regional meth specialist. She also said having a team,
which designs strategies to fight the meth epidemic, doesn't
necessarily mean a county will have more meth busts.

"It truly is a statewide problem," Via said.

These statistics will highlight a Meth Summit expected to draw about
200 people Tuesday to Pasco. Meth Summits also are planned for Spokane
County, Snohomish County, Puget Sound and Vancouver, Wash.

Last year, Benton County had 87 meth lab busts compared with 438 busts
in Pierce County, 241 in King County, 189 in Spokane County and 115 in
Thurston County. Neighboring Franklin County ranked 17th in the state
with only 11 busts in 2002. Franklin does not have a meth action team.

Officials say the increase in Benton County busts comes as a result of
a crackdown by law enforcement on those involved with the drug. Benton
County's busts have continued to rise each year -- from seven busts in
1998 to 38 in 1999.

Benton County Undersheriff Paul Hart credited the rise in arrests to
aggressive work by the Regional Task Force, made up of Benton County
law enforcement officials. The task force, which formed last year,
handles meth lab investigations. The Benton County Sheriff's Office
also has received $320,000 in federal grants over the past year for
community education, labor and equipment.

"Our people are trained in what to look for," Hart said. "And yes,
there's a lot of meth here in this area."

But Benton County's statistics speak to the need for community
education beyond police and prosecutors, said Peggy Haecker, executive
director of the Benton-Franklin Substance Abuse Coalition in Richland.

That's one reason the coalition received $10,000 from the Washington
State Meth Initiative this year to educate the community about the
dangers and effects of meth.

"We know from everything else that we do in the drug arena that
education is the key to prevention," Haecker said. "If you don't know
about the problem or the extent, you can't fix it."

One of the first efforts will be the Meth Summit on Tuesday at the Red
Lion in Pasco. People from as far as Goldendale, Warden and Basin City
are expected to attend the all-day affair. Those expected include
officials and members of the general public. There is no cost to attend.

The summit is meant to teach those who participate how to identify
meth labs and users in the community, how it affects children, the
cost to landlords and how it affects property value.

One session is planned from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will feature
speakers from the Kennewick and Richland police departments, Child
Protective Services, Landlord and Tenants Association and the
Benton-Franklin Health Department.

Residents with specific questions about meth can attend a second
session from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., also at the Red Lion.