GALLAGHER CALLS FOR TASK FORCES TO FIGHT METH

The State's Chief Financial Officer Wants Trust Funds To Pay For Battling
The Drug

TALLAHASSEE -- Gina Prescott, a former drug addict, says she has seen too
many women and children sleeping near toxic chemicals in grungy
neighborhood meth labs.

Throughout Florida, where the number of known methamphetamine labs has
increased tenfold from 1999 to 2004, law-enforcement authorities are
scrambling to control the manufacture and use of the lethal homemade drug.

"I lived in filth and did things I wouldn't normally do," said Prescott,
who is now a treatment counselor for meth addicts in North Florida's Holmes
County. "I have seen a lot of devastation. I've seen good people's lives
destroyed."

Florida's meth problem was reinforced Monday by Florida Chief Financial
Officer Tom Gallagher, a Republican candidate for governor, who announced a
series of proposals aimed at promoting better coordination among
law-enforcement agencies in dealing with the drug problem.

Gallagher is urging the Legislature to create new law-enforcement task
forces and state trust funds -- using existing federal dollars and
forfeitures from arrested meth makers -- to pay for the cleanup of the labs
and to buy equipment for police.

Gallagher, insisting the changes won't be costly to taxpayers, also called
for certain new criminal penalties for meth-related crimes, the denial of
bond for arrested meth producers, a toll-free state tip line and new
policies encouraging the state's removal of children in homes where the
drug is used or produced.

Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that has effects similar to cocaine
but lasts longer and is cheaper. While the drug is used by addicts
statewide, Jim McDonough, Florida's drug czar under Gov. Jeb Bush, said
Florida meth labs typically are found in the Panhandle and rural Central
Florida, such as in Polk County.

The number of labs the state has shut down has grown from about 30 in 2000
to 332 last year. The state also has responded to more than 30 fires at
meth labs, according to Gallagher, who serves as the state's fire marshal.

McDonough's office already has a statewide task force set up to combat meth
use. Earlier this year, the Legislature dealt with the problem by making
some common cold medicines available only from a pharmacist because the
pills are a common ingredient in the manufacture of meth.

Gallagher, who is campaigning against Florida Attorney General Charlie
Crist for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, contends the state
should be doing more.

"Strong steps have already been taken," Gallagher said, "but we need to
rapidly expand our response to combat this evil drug."

Mark Hollis is a reporter for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a Tribune
Publishing newspaper.