METH: IT'S STILL A PROBLEM

BENTONVILLE -- Methamphetamine has a hold on Benton County area
officials are hoping to shake.

The addictive drug costs Benton County employers $21.1 million a year,
residents $500 each in taxes and children their parents.

Benton County law enforcement officials raided more than 30 meth labs
in 2004 and 11 as of August, according to Benton County Sheriff Office
figures.

"It has impacted the area and it's going to continue," Benton County
Sheriff Keith Ferguson said of meth while seated in a chair at
Decision Point-Bates Campus.

Area law officers, government officials, prosecutors and chamber of
commerce representatives met Friday to hear a Benton County
proclamation naming October as Methamphetamine Awareness and
Prevention Month.

Methamphetamine abuse rates second to alcohol in the state for
treatment admission, according to the proclamation.

The proclamation, signed by Benton County Judge Gary Black, challenges
residents to fight against the drug. Increasing law enforcement
efforts isn't enough, although the sheriff's department will soon have
eight officers whose main concern will be combating drugs in Benton
County.

A new state law limiting access to cold medicine has had an effect on
decreasing meth labs in Arkansas, but the amount of available drugs
increases because meth is being imported to the state, said Bob Balfe,
U.S. Attorney for the Western District.

"There's not one answer to this," he said.

To take a stand against meth, Benton County employers need to have
prevention programs in the work place, he said. Drug testing can
prevent an employee from using drugs or plant the thought not to do it
because of fear of job loss.

Prevention programs need to have a place in school so children learn
early about the dangers of drugs, he said.

Benton County also needs more rehabilitation alternatives with a focus
on transitional living.

Bentonville will soon be home to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation
program at Decision Point's new Bates Campus. Pregnant women will be
treated sometime this fall and the building will later open to
residential treatment.

"It's not somebody else's problem. It's your problem," Balfe told the
officials who gathered Friday.

Benton County has 1,369 adult felony drug cases, according to
Prosecutor Robin Green. Last week, a Bentonville firefighter who is
also Cave Springs fire chief was arrested after suspected meth was
found in a fire department bathroom.

"Everyone should care and have some compassion because, if it hasn't
impacted your family yet, it soon will," Balfe said after recounting
emotional stories local people have told him about the drug's human
toll.

Benton County Circuit Judge Jay Finch has seen a spike of cases where
children are being removed from homes because of meth.

"It's a life destroyer and it destroys the innocent as well as the
culpable who make the choice to mess around with this drug," Finch
said. The judge is seeing younger and more people affected by meth.

Benton County started a juvenile drug court pilot program this year
and Finch hopes to have a real system in place next year.

Although use of the drug has become an epidemic, Benton County is
fortunate to have proactive law enforcement, community members and
organizations, said Benton County Prosecutor Robin Green.

"When Benton County sees a problem, recognizes a problem, Benton
County addresses a problem," Green said.

Methamphetamine Awareness Month was started last year by Drug Free
Rogers Lowell and the Benton County Methamphetamine Task Force. A
University of Arkansas study showed that meth use costs employers $21
million last year in worker absenteeism, productivity loss, employee
turnover, theft and health costs.