MESSAGE TO RALEIGH: SEND MORE MONEY

Law Enforcement Officials Plead Case In Battle Against Meth.

LENOIR -- Lynne Vasquez's son lost 80 pounds, his kids and his
freedom thanks to a methamphetamine addiction.

Chad is now serving time in a federal prison.

Vasquez shared her story Tuesday with the chairman of the U.S. House
Government Reform Subcommittee during a special meeting in Lenoir.
"The struggle to stay clean is hard," Vasquez told Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind.

Vasquez was one of six witnesses testifying at the hearing. Souder
was here at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry. The 10th
District Republican represents 10 North Carolina counties, including
Caldwell, Catawba and Burke. Those three counties had 18 meth lab
busts in 2005.

John Emerson, a Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in
Charlotte, said 80 percent of meth comes from "super labs" in Mexico
and California. This meth is extremely potent but less toxic. The
other 20 percent comes from small labs that produce a highly toxic
form of meth, Emerson said.

Law enforcement aims to stem both sources. But it takes money, Souder said.

Jay Gaither, district attorney for Burke, Caldwell and Catawba
counties, says more needs to be done in Raleigh.

"North Carolina cannot abdicate its responsibility," Gaither said.
"The state lab is woefully underfunded. It takes nine to 12 months to
get results back. People are arrested and make bond, and continue to
trade drugs and flaunt our laws while the DA's office waits for the
lab results."

Gaither wants money to fund the state labs so criminals can be put on
trial quickly.

Richard Carsner, a Democrat who is McHenry's opponent for the U.S.
House, said the hearing Tuesday was political grandstanding. He
questions McHenry's efforts to address the meth epidemic.

"If he wants to promote himself as dedicated to ending production of
(meth), why did he vote to cut in half federal funding for local law
enforcement?" Carsner said in a news release. "His approach is
shortsighted and irresponsible."

Vasquez wants help. She doesn't care if it's from Democrats or Republicans.

"It's hard to watch your son die. That's what I did," she said.

Jennifer Menster, Record staff writer, contributed to this article.