MONTANA METH USE A 'TRAGEDY'

HELENA -- Some 85 percent of the inmates in the Montana women's
prison are there, at least in part, because of methamphetamine. At a
Missoula drug treatment center, 90 percent of the women who enter the
program are dealing with a meth problem and nationwide, 50,000 people
under the age of 21 have died from substance abuse since Sept. 2001,
officials report.

Montana needs to do something about these statistics, Gov. Judy Martz
said Wednesday during a conference on the state's methamphetamine problem.

"This is one of the hottest topics in Montana right now," Martz told
the group of about 30 officials and cabinet members assembled in her
reception room. "This affects state government in a broad way."

A recent survey of the perceived meth problem in Montana, which was
released during the conference, shows Montanans strongly favor a
statewide public awareness campaign.

Montana should also look to other states for ways to clean up the
toxic waste associated with fly-by-night meth labs as well as
designate a lead agency for environmental cleanup of these labs, the
survey reported. Methamphetamine can be manufactured in mobile labs,
such as a hotel room or car. Sometimes, the drug is made in abandoned
mobile homes or in houses where children and others live, officials report.

Officials say the use of anhydrous ammonia, a fertilizer, produces
toxic byproducts that can be dangerous to the environment and humans.

"There was a feeling that Montanans are aware of the issue," said Jim
Koppel, a consultant for the National Crime Prevention Council. "But
they see it as isolated to a certain population. They don't
understand a meth lab could be opening next door."

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly
activates certain systems in the brain, according to the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, a branch of the National Institutes of Health.

While meth is closely related to amphetamines, it has a greater
effect on the central nervous system. Street methamphetamine is
referred to by many names, such as "speed," "meth," and "chalk."

Methamphetamine hydrochloride, which looks like clear chunky crystals
of ice, can be smoked and is referred to as "ice," "crystal," "glass"
and "tina."

The National Institute for Drug Abuse reports that nationally in
2003, 6.2 percent of high school seniors had reported lifetime use of
methamphetamine. Lifetime use was measured at 5.2 percent of 10th
grade students and 3.9 percent of eighth-graders.

"I don't think we can overestimate the impact of methamphetamine on
Montana," said Gail Gray, director of the state Department of Public
Health and Human Services. "The biggest tragedy is what happens to children."

Some of the other recommendations that came out of the survey include
regulating the sale of certain over the counter cold medicines needed
to manufacture the drug, finding effective treatment measures and
protecting children in drug-endangered environments.

State Attorney General Mike McGrath called the recommendations
"excellent" and suggested that the state help communities find local
solutions to fit their diverse needs. Currently, work is under way to
launch a statewide "Meth Watch" program at the local level, said
Chuck Butler, Martz's spokesman. He said some of the recommendations
that came out of the survey might also be turned into legislation for
the 2005 Legislature to consider.