ANTI-METH GROUP TO SEEK SOLUTIONS

Two-Day Summit The First Of Four Nationally

LITTLE ROCK -- More methamphetamine comes from Mexico and other states than
is made in Arkansas, and state and federal officials are to gather for two
days at the end of May to discuss new ways of combatting the problem.

Arkansas ranks first in the nation in per-capita the number of meth labs
seized, and those reach a relatively small portion of meth users in the
state, officials said Friday.

The coming forum will bring together hundreds of officials from federal and
state agencies and community groups to try to address problems in stopping
meth use.

"Our goal is to try to deter people from ruining their lives," U.S.
Attorney Bud Cummins said.

The summit will be the first of four in the nation, said Sen. Tim
Hutchinson, R-Ark., with the other scheduled for Lexington, Ky.; Oklahoma
City and Hilo, Hawaii.

Hutchinson said meth use continues to spread, and residual crime and other
costs to society are growing with the increased use. People hooked on the
highly-addictive stimulant are more prone to contract the virus that causes
AIDS and hepatitis.

Col. Don Melton, who directs the Arkansas State Police, said the drug is
being used by younger people. After a news conference, he told of a young
person he knows who had the academic background to be a candidate for
medical school, but got involved with methamphetamine and made his life a
shambles.

Hutchinson said the human cost of methamphetamine is devastating to users
and the people close to them.

"You can't put a price tag on that," he said.

More concrete are the costs to law enforcement to fight the drug, to
employers stuck with employees whose productivity drops because of
addiction and the price states and counties pay to clean up the hazardous
materials left when meth labs are busted.

Arkansas enacted a law restricting how much pseudoephedrine can be sold
over the counter to 9 grams. Officials said the law has resulted in
decrease sale of the chemical, a decongestant that is also used to make
methamphetamine. But people running illegal labs can go across the state
line and buy in states without a similar restriction.

John Lunt, a section chief for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency said the
forum is designed to provide officials with information they can use to
help stop meth use.

"This is not a talking-head conference," he said.

Officials attending the conference will be able to apply the information in
setting their own goals and timetables, he said.

DEA chief Asa Hutchinson, brother to the senator, is to speak at the May
30-31 conference in North Little Rock.

Arkansas officials have been seeking federal designation as a high-traffic
meth state, which would make more funds available to catch producers and
sellers.