TOP COPS FORMING ANTI-METH STRATEGY

BOSTON -- Attorney General Thomas Reilly recently held a summit with
top law enforcement officials from northeastern states in an effort
to deal pre-emptively with a growing methamphetamine problem moving
rapidly across the nation. Although Massachusetts has seen a small
amount of meth manufacturing and use, the powerfully addictive drug
is currently rising to near epidemic levels in the South and Midwest.

Kurt Schwartz, chief of the attorney general's criminal bureau,
said the summit, held last week in Boston, was called to "begin to
talk about the challenges methamphetamines present."

"We're trying to get ahead of this issue before it spreads to us
here in New England," Schwartz said. "We've been spared the extent
of the problem that meth has presented to other areas of the country
for years. But we are definitely concerned this problem will grow and
we know we will have to deal with it at some point."

Schwartz said between one and two meth labs have been seized in each
of the past several years.

Methamphetamine, known on the street as crystal, meth, ice, glass and
crank, is an intensely addictive stimulant that dramatically affects
the central nervous system. The drug is easily manufactured in what
Schwartz called "super labs" outside the country and in clandestine
labs in rural areas of America

The manufacturers use the active ingredient pseudoephedrine, found in
many over-the-counter cold medications.

"During the summit we heard a lot about how easily this drug is
manufactured in these small labs," Schwartz explained. "That's the
really scary part of all of this. Anyone can make this drug rather
easily."

Schwartz said his office is looking at legislative steps that can be
taken to prevent an outbreak of meth production and use in
Massachusetts. Some of the legislation proposed includes placing
restrictions on the sale of medications that contain pseudoephedrine
or reducing the quantity of types of cold medications a person can
purchase in a day, week or month.

"These pieces of legislation can make it difficult for dealers to get
large quantities of pseudoephedrine," Schwartz said. "A number of
midwestern states have already passed similar laws that put the cold
remedies behind the counter instead of out on a shelf for anyone to
buy large quantities.

"We're going to figure out what makes sense for Massachusetts."

Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch also attended the
methamphetamine summit last week.

"Although we do not yet see methamphetamine proliferation in Rhode
Island to the extent that it has invaded other parts of the country,
the potential for the drug to emerge in this region requires a
coordinated law enforcement, public health, and environmental
response," Lynch said. "A good first step is to heighten awareness by
educating the public about the extraordinarily harmful effects of
methamphetamine."

Both Lynch and Schwartz also commented on the public health and
environmental hazards small meth labs present.

Schwartz explained meth labs create toxic fumes, are "incredibly
hazardous," significantly affect the health of children and pregnant
women while also causing serious hazardous waste cleanup problems.

Lynch said much of the toxic waste from meth labs is dumped illegally
into the ground or in waterways. He said midwestern states have found
it necessary to invest in special equipment and undergo significant
training in investigations, lab entries, lab seizures and
environmental cleanups.

"Methamphetamine is a damaging and dangerous narcotic that has the
potential to pollute our communities," Lynch said. "It's imperative
for us to be as proactive as possible in letting the public know that
the severe consequences associated with this drug don't only relate
to health issues, but to the law.

"If you bring meth into Rhode Island or if you make it here, you're going
to jail."