HELP WIN THE WAR ON METH

There is a war on the home front being waged against terror -- the war
against methamphetamine that began last year in Snohomish County. An
alarming article in the January issue of Rolling Stone shook citizens and
leaders in Granite Falls because the national magazine profiled their fair
city as the battleground for meth.

However, Granite Falls is typical of the seriousness of the meth invasion
as are Marysville, Arlington, Everett and all the county's rural areas.
Meth has invaded our schools, tribes, neighborhoods and threatens our
environment. Our jails are full of addicts and Snohomish County officials
estimate that two-thirds of all crime can be linked to meth. The future
drain on our health care system and emergency medical services needs to be
addressed as meth users age and develop disabilities related to addiction.

The statewide meth problem is of such proportion that it is the
fastest-growing public safety threat to our rural communities. Washington
state has the unfortunate distinction of being No. 1 in mobile meth labs
and No. 3 (to California and Missouri) in meth use.

The best reason to commit to war against this enemy is that, according to
experts, we are losing this generation of kids. Some believe that in two
weeks of meth use, a "tweaker" has irreversible brain damage. Lynn Eul, a
youth violence and drug prevention specialist in Snohomish County, says
meth is instantly addictive; it hijacks a child's sleep, steals judgment,
appetite and causes an ugly array of physical symptoms.

We are Citizens For A Safe Snohomish County, a non-partisan, volunteer
citizen task force formed in 2001 to study issues relating to public safety
here. Our group has made the meth epidemic our priority for 2003 and is
exploring how perpetrators and victims are managed by the components of
county government. We will determine the systemic strengths and weaknesses
of our county government regarding this issue and make a public report of
findings and recommendations later this year.

We challenge Snohomish County government officials and departments to build
on the momentum begun last year by the Snohomish County Meth Action Team,
headed by Sheriff Rick Bart. Two nationally acclaimed meth summits in
January and May empowered hundreds of adults and nearly 1,000 middle school
and high school students to fight the meth epidemic.

We applaud neighborhood activism against meth but believe citizens have a
legitimate expectation that our county government should not force citizens
into "do-it-yourself law enforcement." Trained deputies should play this
dangerous game, not emotionally drained and sleep-deprived neighbors of
drug houses who are fighting the meth war themselves.

We are encouraged by the public safety focus of the Snohomish County Law &
Justice Committee, led by Councilman Jeff Sax, and by a campaign pledge
made by newly elected prosecuting attorney Janice Ellis to strengthen
enforcement of laws regarding abatement of drug houses.

We ask you to become part of the solution in your community. Help win the
war against meth in Washington state. The damage this drug is inflicting on
lives, health and our environment is intolerable.