METH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BEGINS

Upper Cumberland officials and law enforcement hope that a new
community awareness campaign will help make the public more
knowledgeable on the dangers of the illegal drug methamphetamine. Last
week, 13th Judicial District Attorney Bill Gibson unveiled the meth
prevention handbook and presented 100,000 copies of the book to be
distributed by law enforcement agencies across the Upper Cumberland
region.

"Our goal is to put one in each citizen's hands," Gibson said at a
press conference last week that included law enforcement leaders from
across the region as well as state lawmakers.

"We hope the word will spread, and we hope lives will be saved," he
said.

The handbook, put together by the 13th Judicial District Drug Task
Force, was made possible through a $500,000 federal grant for meth
education in the district.

"We were notified about the grant last spring by Congressmen Bart
Gordon and Lincoln Davis," Gibson said. "In the darkest hour of the
state budget, this money was a Godsend."

At last week's press conference, Gibson asked law enforcement leaders
across the region their intentions of making the book available to the
public.

Cookeville Police Chief Bob Terry said his department would be mailing
12,000 copies of the handbook to residents of Cookeville as well as
making them available to the public at his office, while Putnam
Sheriff David Andrews said he would probably be relying on a new
explorer post and an active reserve unit to be distributing the books
to residents in the county.

"This seems to be an excellent opportunity to get the community
involved," State Rep. Jere Hargrove said. "Fraternities and sororities
often look for these kinds of things as community service projects. We
can use this as an outreach and get the message out. And it will make
a lasting impression on those who help."

State Sen. Charlotte Burks agreed.

"I think hanging copies on doors may be more effective," she said. "We
could get youth groups to be part of it."

"We need copies of this to mail to our colleagues in the Senate and
House," Burks said. "Meth is beginning to be a statewide problem."

"As a member of the task force, it's terribly clear that there's a
need for education," Sullivan Smith said. "This is a landmark step to
provide sound, fundamental information people want. This will prompt
discussions, community groups. It helps citizens be part of the solution."

In addition to funding the production of the meth prevention handbook,
the federal grant also certified 40 law officers to enter meth labs,
provided equipment for disassembling meth labs, provided protective
outerwear for law officers and a computer program that specifically
tracks meth-related convictions and information on those suspected of
housing meth labs.

Also, Gibson said that 40 mental health drug counselors in the Upper
Cumberland area have been trained in dealing with meth addicts.

"We've tried to attack it on all fronts -- prosecution, prevention and
treatment," Gibson said.

To get a copy of the meth prevention handbook, stop by your local law
enforcement agency.