RAISING METH'S PRIORITY

The Bush administration's priorities on fighting illegal drugs in the
decades-old "War on Drugs" seem to be changing -- for the better. Under
bipartisan criticism for taking too little interest in methamphetamine, the
administration sent three Cabinet officers to a drug conference in
Nashville last week to announce a renewed emphasis on dealing with the drug
commonly known as meth.

The assurances of drug czar John Walters, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
and Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt were welcomed by
local and state officials, and many in Congress, but they said that much
more should be done.

Indeed, it should. Although the executive branch has been slow to recognize
it, the use of meth has been growing rapidly all over the country. It's
been a major problem for years in Polk County, but it seems to be spreading
to new localities -- with dire results in too many instances.

Last month, in fact, the National Association of Counties released a survey
of local sheriffs that showed that meth was considered the leading
drug-related local-lawenforcement problem in the country by 58 percent of
the respondents. Cocaine ranked second with 19 percent, while marijuana
trailed with 17 percent and heroin with 3 percent.

That's a huge turnaround in a relatively few years, and the government
hasn't been keeping up with the new realities. Most of its efforts in
recent years have been directed toward marijuana enforcement and prevention.

Why? Because an estimated 15 million people use marijuana, while meth users
number only about 1 million. If the government can get credit for reducing
overall drug use, the bigger numbers involve marijuana.

But there are huge differences in the negative effects of the two drugs.
Meth is considered a major cause of child abuse and neglect, as well as
many other crimes, including violent ones. It is much more addictive and
its habit is much more difficult to kick.

In an interview with Newhouse News Service a few weeks ago, Rep. Brian
Baird, D-Wash., one of the leaders of the House "Meth Caucus," which has
more than 100 members of both parties, said it was absurd to compare meth
to marijuana: "You could say that the common cold is more frequent than
breast cancer. Therefore, the most dangerous ailment in America is the
common cold. But if some family member came to you and said, 'I've got cancer'

instead of 'I've got a cold,' what would your reaction be? It's the very
same kind of thing with meth."

Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., chairman of a House government reform
subcommittee with jurisdiction over drug control, said he found the
administration's latest move inadequate: "We're looking for a scream, not a
peep. This proposal, unfortunately, doesn't have anything new in it. At my
last hearing they waved a report with a list of recommendations, and this
was all in it."

The National Association of Counties is lobbying the administration to
reverse its earlier decision to eliminate the Justice Assistance Grant
program, which distributes $804 million for

use by regional drug task forces. Congress seems likely to restore at least
some of the money,

but how much remains up in the air without administration support.

Officially, the government says it is fighting to bring all illegal drugs
under control. Realistically, it has to set priorities. Last week's
announcement may signal that its priorities are improving.