SYMPOSIUM TO EXPLORE METH USE

Louise Kennedy said meth is quickly becoming Bucks' worst kept secret and
one of its biggest problems.

"A lot of people are saying, 'How could Bucks County have a problem with
meth (short for methamphetamine)?' " she said. "Well, there is a really big
problem here."

Kennedy is a community engagement specialist with the Bucks County Council
on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Inc. And she'll be on hand Sept. 30, when
the council presents a symposium on the synthetic drug epidemic. The summit
will focus mainly on the rising meth problem, but focus on other drugs such
as GHB, scientifically known as gamma hydroxybutyrate, or more commonly as
the date rape drug.

The summit, which is being funded through a federal grant from the Center
for Substance Abuse, will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel on
Old Lincoln Highway in Bensalem.

The summit, co-sponsored by the Bucks County District Attorney's Office and
the Bucks County Courier Times, the sister paper of The Intelligencer, will
be the first one on the meth epidemic in Bucks and the biggest summit on
the drug in the state, Kennedy said.

The conference will be a free, one-day forum featuring drug treatment,
prevention and law enforcement experts on everything from the impact meth
has had on the gay community to strategies to treat drug addiction. The
event will offer discussion on measures to protect communities from meth
trafficking or production and updates on state legislation aimed at curbing
meth use and distribution in Pennsylvania.

Meth, known on the street as speed, ice or crank, is highly addictive and
can cause serious health problems such as heart failure, brain damage and
strokes, Kennedy said. It is cheap and easy to make with ingredients
including chemicals found in household cleaners and cold medicines, Kennedy
said.

The drug was popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but has grown in
popularity recently, particularly with people looking to stay awake and
energized for long stretches of time, she said.

"Meth is making a comeback in Bucks County," said county First Assistant
District Attorney David Zellis, who pointed to the recent arrests of a
13-member meth distribution ring tied to the Warlocks motorcycle gang in
Lower Bucks.

With instructions on how to make meth and other synthetic drugs readily
available on the Internet, and the drugs containing little more than a few
chemicals you can find in any bathroom, Zellis said the nearest meth lab
might be in your neighbor's basement. The hazardous materials being mixed
could lead to a catastrophic fire. He said since the drug is relatively
easy to make, children have easier access it.

"The fact that it can now be made with various household products is of
great concern to law enforcement and should be of great concern to
law-abiding citizens," Zellis said.

According to figures from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12.3
million people in this country had tried meth at least once, an increase of
about 40 percent from 2000 and 156 percent from 1996.

Kennedy said the summit is open to anyone, but there is space for only 200.

For more information and to register for the summit, call Tim Philpot, a
prevention manager with the council on alcoholism and drug dependence at
(215) 345-6644.