COLORADO TASK FORCE TARGETS METH USE

Number Of Addicts In Treatment Doubles Over Past Five Years

John Suthers says damage to economy from meth use is immeasurable.

A new statewide task force is hoping to ease the crisis caused by
methamphetamine use - an addiction that is sending more than twice as
many people into treatment than in years past.

The Colorado Methamphetamine Task Force, created by the legislature
during the past session and funded by a $50,000 grant from the El
Pomar Foundation, held its first meeting Tuesday.

The 27-member group, made up of workers from various agencies around
the state, will examine community prevention, intervention and treatment.

"Meth abuse in Colorado has risen to extremely dangerous levels,"
said Attorney General John Suthers, chairman of the panel. "The
damage meth inflicts on our communities and economy is immeasurable."

"There is no one strategy to solve this problem," said Janet Wood,
director of the alcohol and drug abuse division of the state
Department of Human Services and vice chairwoman of the group.

Lt. Lori Moriarty, commander of the North Metro Drug Task Force and
another vice chairwoman of the group, said members will work on
improving communication among agencies dealing with the problem.

For example, Moriarty said, when police bust a meth lab in a house
occupied by juveniles, officers should contact social services to
help provide a proper home for the children.

"Most times, we are focused on the arrests," she said.

There were 149 meth lab incidents in Colorado in 2005, according to
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. That was down from 228 such
incidents in 2004.

Suthers pointed out, however, that despite the decreasing number of
lab busts, about 95 percent of meth is imported from Mexico.

Last year, about 31 percent of all people in treatment programs were
meth users, Wood said. In 2000, meth users made up only 14 percent of
those being treated.