EDITORS' ROUNDTABLE: FIGHTING METH

What Can The Community Do To Fight The Spread Of Methamphetamine?

Make the drug unattractive

It's hard to say how we can effectively combat methamphetamine in
our community, or anywhere else. We already attack the enemy on two
fronts. We try to educate our kids about the dangers of drug abuse
and advertising campaigns show teens and adults the horrifying
effects of meth addiction. We attempt to limit access to the
ingredients, infringing on the freedoms of law-abiding cold-medicine
users. Farmers lock and monitor their anhydrous ammonia supplies.

When those measures fail, we rely on law enforcement to sniff out
meth labs -- sometimes a house fire makes it easy -- and nab the
fiends. Of course, by then we're treating the symptom, not
preventing the disease. Sadly, it seems some folks are predisposed
to drug abuse. The lure of the high overpowers the fear of
the consequences. The trick would seem to be to find a way to
reverse that. Make the prospects of meth addiction so obvious and so
terrible that it would lose it's allure.

And if I knew how to do that, I probably wouldn't be in the
newspaper business. -- Rob Buck, local news editor

Get public involved in reporting labs

As we're figuring out the best way to combat methamphetamine in our
city, it's worth noting that alcohol will kill far more people and
ruin far more lives than meth ever will.

Meth isn't destroying Galesburg, but it does pose a danger. And, the
Galesburg Police Department reports seeing more meth activity over
recent months.

Aside from the obvious harm it causes to those who use it --
including their families (especially children) -- the biggest threat
to our neighborhoods is the manufacture of meth. GPD reports 31
arrests since January 2008 for production of methamphetamine.

Making meth requires the use of hazardous, flammable, explosive
chemicals, often by people who aren't thinking safety first. No one
wants one of these next door, nor do they want the traffic that
comes with dealing meth in the neighborhood.

I honestly don't know how much emphasis the Knox County Sheriff's
Department and the city police put on busting meth makers and
dealers -- it's a hard thing to quantify.

As residents we can educate ourselves about the signs of meth labs
and report that activity to the police. The mayor's plan to form a
group to coordinate efforts between public entities and the police
departments could add focus to the effort. Part of that effort
should be to help us identify people who have meth addictions so we
can try to get them some help. Maybe we could establish a hotline
people could call to find help for friends and family members. Meth
is a public issue and the public must be a part of the solution. --
Tom Martin, editor

Prevention efforts need a boost

Local law enforcement agencies sharing information and cracking down
on meth labs obviously are big parts of stopping the spread of meth
production and use. So is legislation such as the meth precursor
act, which prohibits a person from purchasing 7,500 milligrams
or more of any type of epehdrine-based cold medicine during a
30-day period, or from buying more than one package at a time.

The significant number of people arrested on meth and meth precursor
charges each month shows these efforts are working to combat the
problem in some way. Unfortunately, it also shows that meth is a
serious problem in this area and one that has the potential to
spiral out of control.

According to the Illinois Meth Project, our state ranks fourth in
meth arrests in the country, and 72 percent of the people in
treatment for meth started using at age 17 or younger. To curb the
spread of meth use, prevention efforts -- particularly those
directed at young people -- must be ramped up. Youth need to
be aware of the gruesome and devastating physical and mental
effects of methamphetamine -- and schools, law enforcement agencies
and drug use prevention organizations need to be leading that
charge. -- Jane Carlson, features editor