ANTI-METH MOVEMENT

Ashtabula County Taking Part In Pilot Program To Combat
Problem

JEFFERSON -- "It is a life-death struggle to get meth labs wiped out,
says Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann.

To help counties like Ashtabula County Dann and his staff helped
obtain $1.8 million in federal grants to start methamphetamine pilot
initiative program.

Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department received a $449,661 portion of
the total for its model initiative in eradicating, enforcing,
preventative and education awareness program on the growing meth drug
problems here. Dann along with staff members and Special Agent
Supervisor Scott Duff with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification
and Investigation spent part of Friday morning at a press conference
in Jefferson to explain the federal grant goals.

Joining Ashtabula County Sheriff William Johnson and his top
administrative staff with Dann were Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas
Altier, Scott Duff, special agent supervisor with the Ohio Bureau of
Criminal identification and Investigation, and other BCII staff employees.

Dann said the grant will be used to begin a collaborative effort to
cut down the meth drug cases by arming law enforcement agencies with
better equipment for surveillance. A portion of the money will be
aimed at rehabilitation resources, preventative and education
awareness for the general public.

"Ohio is not immune to the crisis of methamphetamine use and the
threat it poses to our neighborhoods, our peace officers and our
children," Dann said.

Dann said BCII Supervisor Duff and his staff will train officers on
handling meth lab detection and proper clean up work.

"Ohio has a meth problem. So far in 2007 we have tagged 1,500 meth
labs (to take down). One of the problems is that meth can be
manufactured anywhere," Dann said.

Statistical information for Ashtabula's grant was coordinated by
Ashtabula sheriff's jail administrator, Lt. Terry Moisio.

"We want to thank the attorney general's office, BCII and the
sheriff's of Trumbull and Geauga counties in helping us get the
grant. This is a collaborative effort by all counties," said Moisio
as he welcomed officials in law enforcement, courts personnel,
Ashtabula County commissioners and County Prosecutor Thomas Sartini.

Sartini said his office has put together an education awareness
program and will offer it at area schools and for public groups.

"With the first hit (of the drug), you are addicted to your brain. It
kills and that's what I tell our kids and teachers; and you never get
the same high again. So you continue to use it," Sartini told the
group showing some of the photos of meth users on posters.