PERILS OF METH EXAMINED

On behalf of the Clark County Meth Action Team, I want to thank reporter
Kathie Durbin and The Columbian for the outstanding four-part series which
started June 22, "The menace of meth," on methamphetamine impacts in Clark
County.

Clark County Meth Action Team is a coalition of concerned citizens and
prevention, intervention, treatment and law enforcement representatives
joined together to address the many unique problems posed by
methamphetamine abuse.

The actual cost of meth addiction to a community is extraordinary. Outside
of monetary costs associated with meth-related crime, law enforcement,
treatment and imprisonment, the drug's use takes its toll in the form of
domestic violence, child abuse, environmental damage and more. The negative
fallout from meth use nationally is alarming. We can only begin to address
the problem with public awareness.

As project coordinator, I hope The Columbian will continue to serve as an
information source regarding the perils of meth use, treatment options
available to users and their families that do make recovery possible, and
the ways our community can mobilize to stem the devastating impacts of this
drug.

Daniel Hart, Vancouver