STATE MAKES STRIDES IN COMBATING METH

Tennessee has made major progress over the past year in combating
methamphetamine, according to state law enforcement officials.

Through initiatives like the Meth-Free Tennessee Act, the Meth
Offender Registry, and educational campaigns like the Tennessee
District Attorneys General Conference's Meth Destroys Campaign,
Tennessee has seen a drop in meth lab seizures and a general increase
in awareness about the drug.

"The new laws have made it more difficult to make meth in Tennessee,
which is making our state a safer place to live," District Attorney
Al Schmutzer of Sevierville said. "Law enforcement is working to keep
people from trafficking meth into our state, but it's important that
Tennesseans arm themselves with facts about this dangerous drug."

Meth labs are highly toxic, extremely combustible, and are often
found in homes, trailers or cars. The labs usually contain dangerous
and deadly chemicals. Small children can ingest poisons or be burned
by chemicals spilled in the house.

In 2004 and 2005 Tennessee ranked second for meth lab seizures. This
year, lab seizures are down nearly 50 percent, according to the
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

The Meth-Free Tennessee Act, which was signed into law last year,
forced critical meth ingredients like pseudoephedrine behind drug
store counters, requires record keeping of all pseudoephedrine
product purchases, and increased penalties for meth production and
use. The act also created the Meth Offender Registry to track all new
processed meth cases.

State funds were used for a statewide education campaign about the
dangers of meth and to provide meth lab-response training to law enforcement.

"Meth is still a major issue in Tennessee; however, we are pleased
that we are seeing fewer labs this year than in years past," said TBI
Director Mark Gwyn. "If we can curb the number of domestic meth labs,
we will be able to protect many innocent children from being exposed,
burned or possibly killed because of a parent's decision to cook meth
in the home."

According to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, much of the
methamphetamine used in Tennessee is now being transported from
Mexico and the Southwest border area. The DEA anticipates an increase
of meth use in Tennessee as the drug gains popularity over crack cocaine.

DAs have created the www.MethFreeTN.org Web site, which has received
more than three million hits; plus adult and youth brochures, a
teacher's guide, DVD, and a number of workplace and field-specific materials.

"The Web site and the materials the district attorneys have created
are crucial in the fight against meth," Schmutzer said. "We want to
get the message out to all Tennesseans that this drug destroys lives."