THE METHOD

A $30,000 Conference On Meth Seems An Unnecessary Expense

The manufacture of cheap methamphetamine from over-the-counter cold
medicines is a plague on the state. In a year's time, 35 children were
removed from homes in Kanawha County alone because they lived in what had
been turned into meth labs.

In light of that, here is hoping that this week's conference on fighting
meth was a success. But the first presentation by its organizer, John
Copple, did not seem promising.

Copple urged citizens to "understand and build on individual and
organizational assets" and "evaluate long-term outcomes and short-term
interventions."

He spoke of "comprehensive vertical and horizontal planning around sectors
of community change" and exhorted people to "build programs around
science-based practice and research." Another bit of advice was: "Recognize
leadership and affirm coalition successes."

Whatever that means.

Federal and state taxpayers shelled out $30,000 for this?

Copple also bills himself as an expert in substance abuse, gang membership,
crime prevention and homeland security. If cow tipping ever becomes a major
problem, he will probably be the man to call for that as well.

Meth is too serious a problem to become another revenue stream for the
federal facilitator crowd.