BUSH, EDWARDS DON'T AGREE ON METH PROBLEM

CHATTANOOGA - Any talk of a federal crackdown on methamphetamine
sounds good to Tennessee officials, even if President Bush's drug czar
and Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards have differing
strategies. "We are looking for any help," said Tom Farmer, a Hamilton
County deputy and member of the South/East Tennessee Methamphetamine
Task Force.

Edwards cited an increase in methamphetamine labs nationally and
accused the Republican administration of trying to cut law enforcement
funding as he pledged to support federal quantity limits on purchases
of cold remedies used to make the addictive stimulant.

U.S. drug czar John Walters disagreed with the assessment. He
described the remarks as part of the "political season" and pledged to
seek even more new restrictions on meth.

Walters said federal agents have "cut off the precursor supplies and
industrial amounts of pseudoephedrine that came from companies in
Canada and have driven some of those production facilities either
south of our border or reduced their output."

"We're working aggressively," he said Wednesday in Birmingham,
Ala.

Walters supports more restrictive provisions of an Oklahoma law
enacted in April and is working with lawmakers in other states to
toughen laws, said Sam Whitfield, a spokesman for Walters.

In Oklahoma, officials say availability of meth has been greatly
reduced by also putting cold remedies that contain ephedrine or
pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters and requiring purchasers to
show photo identification and provide a signature.

"He is also talking with members of Congress and working with them on
restricting pseudoephedrine availability," Whitfield said.

Whitfield said Walters considers the Oklahoma law to be a model for
other states and possibly for Congress.

Edwards declined this week to embrace all of the Oklahoma law, which
some retail groups contend is overly burdensome record-keeping but law
officers say is essential for tracking purchases of products like
Sudafed at multiple locations.

While Gov. Phil Bredesen's Methamphetamine Task Force has recommended
that pharmacies start keeping records of purchasers, a federal law
would help track them if they cross state borders.

"I don't really have any objection to signing for buying those
things," said the chairman of Bredesen's task force, Tennessee
Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens.

Givens said the panel members "feel most of these products do need to
be behind the counter."

"There need to be pack limits," he said.

Methamphetamine is typically cooked from a recipe that includes toxic
household and workplace products and cold tablets such as Sudafed that
contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. The clandestine labs, sometimes
set up in kitchens, are potentially explosive and produce hazardous
vapors.

The DEA has reported 1,253 meth labs cleaned up in Tennessee in 2003,
the most in any state for the third straight year. It estimates the
state is home to three-quarters of the meth labs in the Southeast.

A Tennessee Department of Children's Services report shows growing
destruction of families by meth, with case workers expected to seek
the removal of about 750 children from parents involved with the drug
this year.

Bredesen's task force also is recommending tougher penalties and
expanded treatment for addicts. The governor is expected to push the
measures in the General Assembly next year.

Tennessee officials also have received a $17.8 million "Access to
Recovery" federal grant that is to be used for expanded access to drug
abuse treatment, especially for those addicted to meth.

"The governor welcomes a federal focus on the methamphetamine issue.
It is a national issue," said Will Pinkston, Bredesen's liaison on the
state task force.

Pinkston said Bredesen "welcomes any attention and potential funding
that could help us in the fight in Tennessee."

"Unfortunately we have a worse problem than most states do," he said.