LIBRARY LECTURE TO ADDRESS METH

ISU's New Town And Gown Lecture Series To Address Meth Use In Wabash Valley

Today Indiana State University is bringing speakers from the Terre
Haute community together to present their views on the
methamphetamine problem in Terre Haute and the United States.

As part of the Cunningham Memorial Library's new Town and Gown
lecture series, "Meth Valley: Why here? Why now?" will take place
from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Cunningham Memorial Library in the
first floor Browsing Area, said Steve Hardin, chair of the lecture
and ISU reference and instructional librarian.

The speakers will include Robert Huckabee, professor of criminology
at ISU; Sgt. Joe Watts of the Indiana State Police Department; and
Deb Hodson, drug abuse counselor from the Hamilton Center in Terre Haute.

Huckabee said, "I plan to present some general information about
methamphetamine, placing the meth situation here in Vigo county and
Indiana in the context of the U.S. as a whole."

"In terms of 'why meth'," Huckabee said, "it's cheap and easy to make
.. anyone can make it, although tobacco and alcohol are still the
preferred drugs nationwide, including ISU students."

Huckabee said, "There is no especially reliable data on how many
people or who uses meth, only indirect measures such as hospital
admissions and arrests, and at best, self-reports on surveys."

In addition to his "why meth, why now" presentation, Huckabee will
also have a discussion about drug offenders, Hardin said.

He said along with Huckabee's presentation, Watts will present on
drug rehabilitation and law enforcement and Hodson will focus on the
impact methamphetamine has on users and the people around them.

Each speaker will have about 20 minutes to give a presentation, with
a question-and-answer session afterwards, Hardin said.

Huckabee also said, "Meth produces an exaggerated 'high' that is said
to have no comparison, and is extremely addictive."
"I cannot say whether or not it affects ISU students-no doubt some
are using and won't be students much longer."