REPORT DETAILS METHAMPHETAMINE 'EPIDEMIC'

Recent methamphetamine arrests in Mount Shasta that included young
children in the home coincided with a newly released survey of county
law enforcement agencies nationwide that concluded methamphetamine use
has reached "epidemic" proportions in the United States, severely
impacting law enforcement and child protective services.

"It's the number one drug of choice in the county," said Siskiyou
County Sheriff Rick Riggins.

A member of the Siskiyou County-wide Interagency Narcotic Task Force
said methamphetamine use in the county is increasing rapidly as the
drug has become readily available, thanks in part to the ease with
which it can be produced by anyone. Recipes for producing meth can
even be found on the Internet.

The survey, entitled The Meth Epidemic in America, was conducted by
the National Association of Counties and included responses from 500
countries in 45 states.

"The methamphetamine epidemic in the United States, which began in the
West and is moving East, is having a devastating effect on our
country, the executive summary concluded. "The increasingly widespread
production, distribution and use of meth are now affecting urban,
suburban and rural communities nationwide. County governments across
America are on the front lines in responding to the methamphetamine
crisis."

The report noted methamphetamine abuse causes legal, medical,
environmental and social problems.

"County governments and their citizens must pay for investigating and
closing meth labs, making arrests, holding lawbreakers in detention
centers and then trying them, providing treatment for those addicted
to the drug, and cleaning-up lab sites," the report states. "There are
also many societal effects that must be considered. In an alarming
number of meth arrests, there is a child living in the home. These
children many times suffer from neglect and abuse."

The report said among the criminal impacts of methamphetamine on
communities are:

- - Meth is a growing problem that is now national in scope. Of the 500
responding law enforcement agencies, 87 percent reported increases in
meth related arrests starting three years ago;

- - Meth is the leading drug-related local law enforcement problem in
the country. Fifty-eight percent of counties in this survey said that
methamphetamine was their largest drug problem. Meth was followed by
cocaine 19 percent, marijuana 17 percent or heroin 3 percent as the
number one drug problem; and

- - Meth related arrests represent a high proportion of crimes requiring
incarceration. Fifty percent of the counties estimated that 1 in 5 of
their current jail inmates were housed because of meth related crimes.
The problem is even worse in the other half of the counties surveyed.
Seventeen percent of the counties report that more than half of their
populations are incarcerated because of meth related crimes.

In addition to the enforcement of methamphetamine laws, the report
said other crimes also increase because of methamphetamine use.

"Seventy percent of the responding officials say that robberies or
burglaries have increased because of meth use, while 62 percent report
increases in domestic violence. In addition, simple assaults 53
percent and identity thefts 27 have also increased," the report stated.

The report said methamphetamine is a major cause of child abuse and
neglect including the following:

- - Forty percent of all the child welfare officials in the survey
reported increased out of home placements because of meth in the last
year;

- - During the past five years, 71 percent of the responding counties in
California reported an increase in out of home placements because of
meth and 70 percent of Colorado counties reported an increase;

- - More than 69 percent of counties in Minnesota reported a growth in
out of home placements because of meth during the last year, as did 54
percent of the responding counties in North Dakota; and

- - Meth hurts children and families over the long-term. County
officials were asked if the particular nature of the meth user parent
has increased the difficulty of family reunification and 59 percent
said yes.

The Siskiyou County-wide Interagency Narcotic Task Force reported that
85 percent of the children taken into custody from controlled
substance arrests tested positive for controlled substances in their
bodies.

The report said illegal methamphetamine labs are also a danger to the
environment and human health.

"The process of producing meth uses toxic and hazardous materials and
produces explosive chemicals as byproducts of the production. These
labs affect the environment, the communities and any children, who are
frequently present," the report said.

For the year 2004, 49 states reported nearly 16,000 clandestine
methamphetamine lab incidents.

According to the California Department of Justice Crime and Violence
Prevention Center, methamphetamine labs contain high concentrations of
toxic fumes, flammable materials and explosive chemicals that create
an "extremely dangerous environment."

"Explosion and fire are the most common hazards. Meth labs always have
a mixture of volatile chemicals such as ether, phosphorous and
flammable solvents," the report said.

The California Association of Counties noted the apparent disconnect
between federal efforts to eradicate marijuana, that it classifies as
more dangerous than methamphetamine, and the survey responses that
said methamphetamine is a far greater problem.

"The National Association of Counties was encouraged to read White
House Deputy Drug Czar Scott Burns' remarks regarding the scourge of
methamphetamines," said NACo executive director Larry Naake responding
to Burns' acknowledging the reports conclusions. "While it is
heartening to hear that the Administration might be shifting focus and
resources towards meth, it remains to be seen whether this is just
empty rhetoric."

"I'm not seeing them throwing money at either one," said Sheriff
Riggins. "The federal marijuana eradication money had been cut
drastically. The methamphetamine grant saw a small decrease."