COLEMAN IN TOWN TO DISCUSS METH IMPACT

Sen. Norm Coleman was in town Friday for a listening session to discuss the
impact of methamphetamine on Minnesota communities.

"We're here today to talk about an issue of great importance to our
community and to our state," Coleman said. "The nature of the drug is
devastating, on the individuals who get addicted and on the communities
that have to deal with it. It is overwhelming and we have to do something
about it.

"I want to listen twice as much as I speak today," he said.

Approximately 60 people filled the council chambers at the Albert Lea City
Center for the discussion. Coleman heard from panelists representing the
areas of drug treatment, education, prevention, intervention and law
enforcement. He also heard from the audience.

The panel included: Steve Hubbard, president of the Sheriff's Youth
Program; Jerry Ehn, administrator, Fountain Center of Albert Lea; Jim
Siegel, president, United Way of Freeborn County Board of Directors; Trish
Reedstrom, supervisor, Blue Earth County Social Services; Corey Farris,
Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and South Central Drug Investigation Unit;
Bobby, a recovering meth addict; and Rep. Dan Dorman (27-A).

Siegel talked about the Meth equals Death Task Force started by the United
Way, an effort Coleman said he was impressed with.

"We have done a few things and we've done them successfully, we have worked
hard," he said. "We have a group that has been working towards educating
people, because if we can educate enough people then maybe someone will not
try it. We have been meeting with anyone that will listen to us. We have
billboards in town in hopes they will get someone's attention. We have
literature in the United Way office, and in January we will be having Meth
Sunday and Meth Week where the entire concentration will be directed toward
meth education. Yes, we will be preaching to the choir, but someone in the
choir might know someone who is using.

"I've heard many sad stories, they are all sad stories and they need to be
told, that is another way to educate the public, but we need to move beyond
stories, we need to do something," he said.

The United Way's task force should be a national model, said Coleman.

"I'm pleased they've started this because it can't be the folks on the
front line alone, the government folks alone," he said.

Reedstrom, also a member of the Blue Earth County Drug Court team, spoke
about the effectiveness of the team.

"It is a real intensive treatment program, instead of going to prison or to
jail, they volunteer to go into drug court," she said. "The team meets with
the judge to help him know what to do. The judge can provide incentives or
sanctions depending on whether the person is doing well or not doing well.
It is a really intensive program, particularly for the probation officer.

The drug court is less than a year old, but Reedstrom said they are seeing
some improvements.

"We think the promise is there because of some of the early success we are
seeing," she said.

After the panel's discussion was done Coleman opened up discussion to
members of the audience, which included community leaders, city and county
officials, Albert Lea School District 241 representatives, Albert Lea
Medical Center representatives, representatives from Olmsted, Blue Earth
and Mower counties, Riverland Community College representatives, members of
the Meth equals Death Task Force, as well as Rep. Jean Poppe (27-B).

Coleman is traveling around the state of Minnesota hosting listening
sessions to gather information on how meth is affecting the state's
communities which he will take back to Washington, D.C.

"I'm going to take this information back to my colleagues, we are going to
have a forum in Washington with Senators from Missouri and Iowa, and I'll
be bringing the Minnesota stories that I've heard and will continue to
hear," he said. "Then we are going to hold a regional forum on a national
stage. In private discussions amongst Senators they are telling me about
these problems their states are having with meth and all of a sudden we
realize that it is not just us, it is all over the country."

The Senate recently approved a bill coauthored by Coleman called the Combat
Meth Act of 2005. The bill requires cold medicines containing meth-making
ingredients to be stored behind the counter and limits the amount a person
can buy in a single purchase, creates a national meth treatment center, and
authorizes $43 million for meth enforcement, training and research.

In September, Coleman unveiled the Coleman Meth Task Force, a group
comprised of law enforcement officials, treatment workers, health care
professionals, school nurses and other concerned citizens.

Neil Chalmers, a social studies teacher at Albert Lea High School and the
mock trial coach, came to the listening session because he wanted to hear
what Coleman and the others had to say.

"We've had some education at school and I truly wanted to hear what the
Senator's views were and what everyone was going to say," he said. "The
most impressive speaker was Bobby. He had the most to offer us in terms of
understanding this drug and its effects."