TASK FORCE LOOKS AT WAYS TO CONTROL METH ABUSE PROBLEM

Task force members selected by Gov. Phil Bredesen held their second
meeting in Cleveland Monday morning to attempt to find ways to
alleviate the dangers of a devastating drug.

The Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse met at Cleveland
State Community College's Foundation Room. Monday's meeting was the
second in a series to be held at various locations in the state.

The task force was designed to find out what could be done to fight
the meth problem sooner rather than later. The group will report their
findings to Bredesen by Sept. 1.

Legislators, various law enforcement officials and others met to
discuss what could be done to curb the manufacture, use and effects of
the "moonshine of the new millennium" or as it is commonly known to
the meth addict - "Devil's Dust."

Commissioner of Agriculture and chairman of the task force, Ken Givens
opened the meeting and introduced 10th Judicial District Attorney
General Jerry Estes.

General Estes said, "For a number of years, our district has had a
joint task force to deal with the growing problem of methamphetamine
abuse. Until laws are changed and resources are established by the
state, the problems will continue."

"We need your help with changing laws, improvements in jail facilities
and establishing the concept of drug courts," said Estes.

The general also noted the need for additional resources within the
prosecutor's offices across the state.

One task force member, Charlie Curtiss, told the audience of certain
legislation that is making progress is a law which will make portions
of meth sentencing fall into a "Class B Felony, an upgrade from the
current Class C sentencing."

"We are also seeking to 'quarantine' meth labs. Testing is needed for
these structures a lab is discovered in," said Curtiss

"Our troops, who are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas
face many dangerous situations and they go anywhere in the world to
face these dangers, yet they could not legally go inside a
methamphetamine lab," explained Curtiss speaking of the dangerous
chemicals involved in the production of the illicit drug.

Assistant U.S. District Attorney Paul Laymon of the U.S. Attorney's
Office in Chattanooga said Southeast Tennessee has a "bleak outlook"
on the problem.

"The relationship between psuedoephedrine and meth is one molecule -
one oxygen molecule which is changed through the chemical process,
making a strong and highly addictive stimulant which is fairly easy to
produce, and the precursor ingredients easily purchased," explained
Laymon.

Laymon said one of the first controls which needs to be instituted is
the sell of ephedrine-based products.

"A typical meth cook can produce 27 to 28 grams per day, and with the
stimulant in their system, can produce the drug seven days a week,"
said Laymon.

The U.S. Attorney explained that with "mom and pop" operations and the
influx of meth produced in Mexico keep federal and state prosecutors
busy.

"We need an amendment of Tennessee Code Annotated 39-17-402. The law
needs to exclude the 'for personal use' clause," said Laymon.

The particular law has been heavily used by defense attorneys charged
with defending meth suspects.

Essentially, the law reads that small amounts of narcotics which are
found on a defendant, can be misdemeanors in nature. Laymon explained
that a gram of meth, is equivalent to a pack of sugar.

"That is a gram of meth," said Laymon. "One gram of meth can stimulate
a user for up to 8 hours."

Laymon then introduced Drug Enforcement Administration's Dave Shelton,
who said, "In 1995, there were virtually no meth labs in Southeast
Tennessee. Between 1996 and '97, three batches of criminal element
came to Tennessee. These three elements began creating users and
sellers of methamphetamine."

One common fact which came out during the discussion between the task
force and members of the attendees, was easy access in obtaining the
chemicals and precursors.

The elements Shelton talked about, were also responsible for teaching
the cook process.

According to Shelton, "We could trace the family tree of these cooks
until recently," he said.

With the increase in meth lab operations, the DEA agent said it now is
virtually impossible to keep track of the family cooks.

"We have bred a generation of addicts and criminals," said Shelton.
Southeast Tennessee is now No. 1 in meth lab abuse."

"I would be surprised if a meth lab has not been seized in this area,
as we sit in this meeting," added Shelton.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Drug Unit's Lt. Tommy Farmer told the
task force he could not think of another drug as addictive as
methamphetamine.

He also said ease of purchasing the precursor ingredients of meth
needed to be addressed.

"The temptation of a meth abuser is sort of like this," explained
Farmer. "When we go into a hardware store, pharmacy or retailer, we
see cold tablets as medicine and cooking fuel as a camping item. A
meth abuser sees these items, which are precursor ingredients, as a
temptation to produce the narcotic. Their perspective is clouded."

Lt. Farmer told the panel, "We are going to pay for it - one way or
another, whatever the avenue."

Farmer said Congressman Zach Wamp has helped with federal money which
helped establish the Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force.

"We have these tools and resources to clean up a clandestine meth lab,
and we have educated our law enforcement officers, but we also need to
educate our judges on meth and its paraphernalia, educate our
community of recognizing the precursors and dangers, and educate our
children," he said. "The federal money helps pay for overtime in the
cleanup of these labs. We have approximately 250 agents certified in
cleanup and investigation."

"We have a joint effort between the entities involved, but if we don't
address the problem soon, we will pay for it later anyway," explained
Farmer. "Never in my life would I have believed we would have to
investigate drug operations clothed in a Tyvek suit and self-contained
breathing apparatus."

The next scheduled meeting of the Governor's Task Force will be held
in Jackson on May 24.