NEW FACE OF METH

Those "before" and "after" mug shots of meth users that are seen on
billboards and posters offer visual proof of the physical toll of
addiction. But how often do observers take an Alfred E. Newman "What?
Me Worry?" approach to the problem?

As pilots have learned, sometimes it's good to replace a visual
approach with a more scientific system. Let the horrifying mug shots
continue to impart warnings, but here are a few statistics about the
problem in Washington state, starting with an encouraging trend but
followed by more troubling numbers:

. According to an Associated Press story, the number of meth labs in
our state has decreased from a high of 1,890 in 2000 to just 806 last
year. This decrease is traced to new laws banning over-the-counter
sale of some medications and other ingredients used in manufacturing meth.

This trend carries with it an environmental benefit. Meth labs, even
small ones, pose a severe threat to neighborhoods, soil content and
groundwater resources. Toxic substances and residue remain during and
after the manufacture of methamphetamines.

. The percentage of meth in Washington state that comes from beyond
state lines has grown from an estimated 50 percent in 2001 to 75 percent.

So, not only has the meth problem grown, but more of it is moving
menacingly up and down Interstate 5 and other arteries.

. The amount of trafficked meth seized statewide by the Washington
State Patrol's drug unit has increased from 101 pounds in 2001 to 400
pounds in 2005.

. The number of people treated by the state for meth addiction has
grown from 7,7096 (6,379 adults and 717 teens) in 2004 to 8,489
people (7,669 adults and 820 teens) last year.

. The statewide number of meth-involved deaths grew from 176 in 2002
to 257 last year.

So the demise in meth labs in our state is more than offset by the
worsening of other aspects of this scourge. A more compelling
attitude than Alfred E. Newman's would be that of state Attorney
General Rob McKenna. Typically not one to exaggerate, the state's top
law enforcer calls meth "the biggest problem to ever hit the state,
period. The addicts are still addicted, and the traffickers are
simply stepping in to meet the demand. We need to meet with the
addiction issue as well as the crime issue."

One of the leaders in the legislative vigilance has been U.S. Rep.
Brian Baird, particularly in the area of federal funding for state
and local enforcement and treatment in the war against meth. Efforts
by McKenna and Baird are crucial, but will have little effect unless
the general public understands meth's devastation. Part of that
understanding includes knowing that the decrease in the number of
statewide meth labs only forces the demon to change his costume.
Whether the destructive force is homemade or imported doesn't really
matter to the subjects of those "before" and "after" photos.

We are evolving from a self-sufficient meth-addicted society to a
target-rich environment for international traffickers. Spread the word.