DRUG WAR MAKES PROGRESS

WASHINGTON - Mind-bending methamphetamine, smuggled from Mexico or made in
small, local labs, is still the No. 1 drug threat in Utah. But Utah is
starting to have some success against it, which other states are rushing to
copy.

That's according to a report about regional drug problems and successes
released this week by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"Utah has seen a decrease in the number of meth labs, while others are
seeing an increase. There's a rush of queries by others asking Utah, 'How
are you doing it,' " said Scott Burns, a Utahn who is now deputy director
of that drug czar's office. Burns - who was the longtime Iron County
attorney, and was a former candidate for Utah attorney general - said the
major reason for Utah's success is that local, state and federal law
agencies there have learned to work together against the problem.

"You would think that would be obvious, and that law enforcement agencies
would always work together. But the dirty little secret is that they
don't," he said.

Burns also praised Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Robert Flowers for
persuading highway patrols in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado to work closely
together against drug smugglers.

Similarly, the written White House report added, "Through some aggressive
legislation and enforcement and prosecution efforts, Utah actually has seen
a decrease in the number of methamphetamine labs over the last couple of
years."

But Colorado and Wyoming, for example, which are grouped with Utah into the
Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, both "have seen a
substantial increase in the number of small methamphetamine labs producing
small quantities for both personal use and sales."

In fact, the report noted that the number of methamphetamine lab seizures
in the three-state area escalated from 259 in 1998 to 573 in 2001.

But Burns said, "Even here in Washington, people will tell you Utah is a
success story and that Utah is ahead of the curve in dealing with meth."

He added, "Colorado is in the process of adopting a program that is almost
verbatim like Utah's to fight meth."

Burns urges people to continue the battle against meth, and warns of its
dangers. "Experts say it is the most insidious of all drugs. It is easy to
make. It is highly addictive. And rehabilitation is akin to that of heroin,
or very difficult."

The White House report said that in the Rocky Mountain area, "The primary
sources consist of small, in-state clandestine methamphetamine labs and
Mexican drug-trafficking organizations. . . . The methamphetamine comes
from the Juarez, Mexico-El Paso, Texas area; the Nogales,
Mexico-Tucson/Phoenix, Arizona area; and southern California."

Burns said Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, with their I-15, I-80 and I-70
freeways, are also major trans-shipment centers for meth and other drugs
from Colombia and Mexico to points north and east including Chicago and
Milwaukee, but highway patrols there have been cracking down hard.

Meanwhile, the report said that officials say the second greatest drug
threat in Utah comes from "club drugs," such as Ecstasy (methylenedioxy
methamphetamine).

"Utah authorities are particularly concerned with the emergence of club
drugs, specifically Ecstasy," the report said.

"Abuse of these drugs is increasing among high school and college youth,
and use is common at rave parties. Intelligence information indicates that
most of the club drugs in Utah are coming from California; Las Vegas, Nev.;
and British Columbia, Canada," the report said.

It compiled information about challenges in the war against drugs from 28
regional task force groups nationally, called High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Area Programs (HIDTAs).

The three-state Rocky Mountain HIDTA was formed in 1996 to help fight drugs
in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 authorized
the nation's drug czar to designate High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas
and set up programs there to increase local and federal cooperation.