PUBLIC MEETING TACKLES METH 'SCOURGE'

With a panel of constituents and local, state and federal officials
flanking him, Senator Norm Coleman brought top level clout to Fergus
Falls to focus attention on "a scourge on our communities" --
methamphetamine.

Coleman told an audience of more officials, recovering meth addicts,
news media and interested area residents that he'd "like to come here
and talk about fishing" but needed to talk about "something of
extraordinary importance."

"This is not about somebody else's problem," Coleman said, "This is
about ours."

Coleman then turned over discussion to panel members, including White
House deputy drug czar Scott Burns, who called meth "the most
insidious drug to ever come to your community." His office focuses on
controlling precursors, or essential meth ingredients.

"We go after pseudoephedrine from Canada. We have seen a drastic
reduction in imported pseudoephedrine." Pseudoephedrine is an
over-the-counter cold remedy and key ingredient in meth. .

But that's the good news. The bad news is the drug is now being
shipped to Mexico, where new super labs are manufacturing the drug and
shipping it north, including to this area.

White Earth Indian Reservation Police Chief Bill Brunell said meth is
becoming "the drug of choice in this state."

"Only six percent of the people will beat the meth habit," Brunell
said. "We don't know what to do with these people. We don't know how
to treat them. Finding resources is difficult."

Training people who know how to dismantle and clean up meth labs is an
on-going issue. Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement
Agency, Edward Van Patten said the "burn-out factor is two to three
years" for people trained to handle meth labs. Van Patten said the
number of lab seizures has risen dramatically, but those labs
typically produce less than an ounce at a time. The DEA targets meth
trafficking organizations -- mostly in Cal., Wash., Ariz., and Texas
- -- which bring in the bulk of the meth in this state.

"Our primary focus is keeping the drugs from getting into Minnesota,"
said Van Patten.

Once a meth lab is established, Steve Lee, from the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency, called it "the perfect storm" of
drug-related issues, because of its ability to devastate on so many
levels.

"Each year it appears the meth labs are doubling; that's the ones we
know about," said Lee.

The lab itself is loaded with potentially fatal risks: "Everything,"
Van Patten said. "Fire, explosions, deadly gas, toxic
substances."

Otter Tail County Public Health Director Diane Thorson pointed to her
department's lack of authority in confronting mothers, particularly
mothers of newborns, who they suspect are using meth.

"We're finding meth infected babies," Thorson said.

Since public health nurse visits are voluntary, the mothers will
simply refuse visits to avoid the confrontation.

Thorson also noted that 18 of 34 child out-of-home placements since
January were meth-related, and asked for more flexibility in the
placement of children so they are taken care of quicker.

Coleman asked, "if you could wave a magic wand and change the law,
what would you do?"

Thorson said, "expand the ability to work with families where there is
meth use."

"Talk to my office to make sure we get involved with that," Coleman
answered.

Coleman thanked Kareen Anderson, recovering meth addict, for her
courage in sharing her story as a panel member.

"It takes a lot of courage to stay straight," said Coleman, and asked
Anderson, "What makes treatment 'take'?"

Anderson said sitting in jail she "realized I could be here for the
rest of my life, or I'd be dead." She said treatment needs to be
stricter and a lot more intense."

Roger, a recovering meth addict in the audience, told the panel that
getting someone into treatment can take days or weeks.

"That's days or weeks too long," he said.

Tim, another audience member, said he first did meth in 1964, and has
been clean for 10 years.

"If you're going to win this war you're going to win this in the
schools," he said.

State Senator Julie Rosen, who has been a legislative leader on the
meth issue, said she believed meth legislation would pass, but she
believes there are "so many more issues that we need to worth on with
meth."

She'd like to get all the area states "on the same page" with stricter
controls on meth precursors, additional help for meth lab clean up,
and funding for out-of-home placements.

"Our counties are going to go broke -- absolutely broke -- if we don't
deal with this problem," Rosen said.