ABOUT 200 PEOPLE TACKLE METH EPIDEMIC AT NEVADA CONFERENCE

MINDEN, Nev. - More than 200 people from Nevada and California gathered in
Minden to discuss steps to combat the methamphetamine epidemic.

The Partnership of Community Resources and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and
California sponsored the all-day program Friday at the Carson Valley Inn.

Meth was once associated with rural, blue-collar users. But the drug has
invaded big cities and its abusers now include members of all racial and
economic groups, said Washoe Tribal Chairman Brian Wallace.

"Given all the serious challenges that face us, I've never seen one more
serious than what we're talking about today," Wallace said.

"Fighting this binds us together more closely than ever ... We're watching
our communities eat themselves from within," he said.

Speakers included law enforcement authorities, treatment professionals and
authors.

Ellen Hopkins of Carson City, whose novel "Crank" was based on her
daughter's experience with meth, referred to the illegal drug as "the monster."

"If you are a parent, put the blame aside," Hopkins said. "There's plenty
of blame to go around, but it's not about the blame. It's about trying to
help them."

Cristi Cain, coordinator for the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project,
urged communities to take a local approach to dealing with the problem.

Communities shouldn't wait for tragedy to strike when dealing with children
of meth-addicted parents, Cain added.

The conference was billed as the initial step in a community response to
combating meth, which federal authorities say has surpassed marijuana as
the greatest danger to the nation's children.

"This is a start to a community process to identify the problem, look at
resources, set up a plan, and look at prevention and intervention," said
Steve Lewis of the University of Nevada, Reno's Cooperative Extension
Office in Gardnerville.

Cheryl Bricker, executive director of the Partnership of Community
Resources, was pleased with the turnout that included representatives from
12 of Nevada's 17 counties.

"Sometimes you go along thinking you're fighting this battle alone," she
said. "It was very gratifying to see how energized people are to go to work
in their communities."

Meth abuse has become the nation's leading drug problem affecting local law
enforcement agencies, according to a recent survey of 500 sheriff's
departments in 45 states.