METH A "SCOURGE"

Methamphetamine is a "scourge" on society and the labs that create
the illicit drug threaten the officers who raid them and the
neighbors who live by them.

That's what federal officials said during a Thursday press conference
to raise awareness of the drug's dangers.

Drug Enforcement Administration Director Asa Hutchison was speaking
with state and local officials as part of a nationwide "Meth in
America: Not in Our Town" tour that stopped at McGhee Tyson Airport
Thursday.

Harry S. "Sandy" Matice Jr., the United States Attorney for the
Eastern District of Tennessee, also spoke.

"As everyone knows, methamphetamine is a scourge here in Tennessee
and across the nation," he said.

Not only is methamphetamine potentially lethal for users, it also can
be deadly to the drug"s manufacturers as well as officials raiding
the labs and neighbors living nearby, Hutchison said.

The problem does not just affect the big cities, but affects the
"heartland" of the country because it can be manufactured in rural
areas and is made from products that can be obtained at most retail
outlets.

Hutchison used the awareness campaign to encourage business owners to
offer assistance to employees dealing with drug addiction.

"Seventy-five percent of users are employed in either full-or
part-time jobs," he said.

When asked whether more federal money would be coming to the area"s
law enforcement agencies, Hutchison said he is encouraging agencies
to be more flexible in how they use their funds.

Tom Hinojosa, DEA spokesman, said the increased awareness will
hopefully lead to an increase in funding from Congress.

"Our goal is to increase awareness in law enforcement and business
communities," he said.

"If awareness is emphasized and more and more people know about
methamphetamine and the danger and cost associated with it, perhaps
more money will be allocated," he said.