Press release [Sept. 15, 2004]

House Information Office Room 505, Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, Georgia 30334 1-800-282-5800 404-656-5082
9-2084-5242 For Immediate Release

September 15, 2004

Hearings Continue on how to Combat Methamphetamine Problem

Atlanta Representative Mike Snow (D-Chickamauga) and other House members recently convened for the second meeting of The House Protection from the Dangers of Methamphetamine Manufacture Study Committee. The committee heard testimony from members of various state and local law enforcement agencies. They also heard from representatives of rehabilitative services organizations as well as citizens concerned over the methamphetamine manufacturing epidemic, which a January 2004 National Conference of State Legislatures report calls "...the fastest growing drug threat in America."

"This drug is more dangerous than most people realize," said Rep. Snow who co-sponsored the resolution creating the study committee. "Not only is it dangerous to the people who use and manufacture it, but even after the site has been shut down the chemical residue and toxins involved can be a very real danger to law enforcement officials cleaning the site. And if these sites aren't cleaned properly, they can pose a very real danger to the people who live in and around these places afterward."

The committee's focus is to study relevant issues relating to clandestine methamphetamine manufacture. The group is studying the residual effects of exposure to toxic fumes generated by methamphetamine manufacture, particularly with regard to children. They also hope to identify and implement an effective statewide protocol for scouring the site of a former methamphetamine laboratory in order to ensure that it is safe for human occupancy. Finally, the committee hopes to raise awareness among members of the public of the dangers posed by both current and former methamphetamine laboratories.

"We are gathering some very valuable information which will help us formulate a legislative plan to deal with these problems," Snow continued.

Among the actions being considered by the committee are tighter regulations on the common, legal substances which can be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Items such as over the counter sinus and cold remedies often contain ephedrine, which is a key element in making methamphetamine. The committee is considering legislation which would move such substances behind the pharmacy or cashier counter.

"We're not talking about requiring prescriptions to buy cold medicine," said Snow. "A person buying a box or two here or there for a cold is perfectly justified and will remain legal. What
-more-

we're talking about is when somebody walks into a store and wants to buy four or five hundred tablets. That should run up some red flags, and we want to make sure that there's someone there to notice those flags."
The committee is also considering a number of ways to help give law enforcement the tools they need to combat this menace. Among those ideas is the initiation of a statewide reporting program to allow information to flow both up and down the law enforcement ranks. The committee is also considering making a recommendation that more funding be allocated to pay for properly equipped and trained hazmat teams to clean up meth sites, as well as increased funding for the state crime lab so that evidence against meth offenders can be quickly processed.
A second front being investigated by the committee involves education, prevention, and rehabilitation. Members have heard testimony from various rehabilitation centers, including faith based organizations, on their methods and needs in helping people quit this horrible drug. Likewise, the committee is interested in beefing up prevention and education programs in local schools.
"We've got to attack a problem this serious on two fronts," Snow continued. "We've got to go after these meth manufacturers, and dealers with every resource at our disposal, but we've also got to educate our young people on the dangers of this awful drug. If we're effective at drastically reducing the number of potential users, the dealers will go out of business."
Finally, the committee hopes to encourage programs which will raise awareness among the average Georgia citizen about the serious problem this drug has become in our state. The hope to increase efforts to educate citizens on what to look for and how to recognize a potential methamphetamine lab, and the importance of reporting such suspicious activities to the local authorities.
"That's been an added benefit of these meetings," Snow mused. "We're raising awareness, which is a great help to law enforcement in combating this very serious problem."
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For further information contact Rep. Snow at 404-656-6801.