METH FORUM BRINGS THE PROBLEM INTO FOCUS

Groups Seek Strategy To Deal With Drug Abuse

With a recent rise in the number of methamphetamine-related crimes in rural
areas, 3rd District U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne said, there's hardly a person in
Nebraska who's not touched by the problem.

So the Osborne-organized Summit to Combat Methamphetamine, which was on
Monday morning in Grand Island, brought together members of more than 20
organizations to help organize a strategy for dealing with the problem.

"Over the years, I've become more and more alarmed on the issue of
methamphetamine," Osborne said. "Statistics say that, for every one person
addicted to methamphetamine, there are 63 crimes committed. It has a huge
consequence for other people, not just those addicted."

Present at the conference, which was closed to the public, were members of
law enforcement, the court system, the medical community, the FBI and those
who deal with rehabilitation.

The result, Osborne said, was a complete picture of the meth problem in the
state and, with it, a better idea of how to address the problem.

"We really had a great group of people here," he said. "The reason is
because it's a large problem. What we need to do now is focus on coming up
with a comprehensive approach."

Among the topics discussed, Osborne said, were prevention and education;
local, state and federal law enforcement tactics; prosecution and
treatment; and coordination between all sectors.

Participants came from across the state and even out of state to address
the problem. Those who attended the conference included Jim Redd of the
federal Drug Enforcement Administration in Lincoln, Sheldon Burkett of the
Drug Enforcement Administration in Alexandria, Va., and Brenda Miner and
Steve Jensen of St. Francis Medical Center in Grand Island.

Hall County Sheriff Jerry Watson, who attended the event on behalf of the
Nebraska Drug Courts, said the conference was a step in the right direction
in terms of developing a comprehensive plan, and he thanked Osborne for
organizing it.

"I think the information Congressman Osborne got out of this gives him the
tools to build the vehicle which will allow for us to do our job more
effectively," Watson said. "It's not always about money. Often it's about
communication."

Watson also said that, among the things agreed upon at the conference, the
need for family was viewed as an effective way to battle meth and, indeed,
all drug addiction.

"Where this whole thing starts is with the family," Watson said. "We need
to look for a way to solicit the family back into existence, and many of
these problems will go away."

Osborne also said there was a near consensus on the need for more money to
create labs to analyze the drugs and equipment and personnel to help
enforce laws.

However, he said, communication was something of which all forces in the
fight against methamphetamine need more.

"We felt there was a lot of information," he said. "The whole thing is
going to be in the follow through. If we're able to communicate, we can
help this situation."