Statement from Larry E. Naake
Executive Director, National Association of Counties (NACo)
Bush Administration’s Anti-Meth Announcement
The National Association of Counties (NACo) is pleased that Attorney General Gonzales, Secretary Leavitt and ONDCP Director Walters are working together to provide federal leadership to respond to the nation’s methamphetamine epidemic. The event in Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 18 and the establishment of the MethResources.gov web site are good first steps, but more action is needed to address this national problem.
County governments are on the front lines in responding to the scourge of methamphetamine in our communities. NACo believes there must be a comprehensive and intergovernmental strategy of prevention, education, treatment, law enforcement, cleanup and research to fight the methamphetamine epidemic, in addition to legislation to restrict the precursor chemicals required to make meth supported by the administration. We also call on the administration to establish a task force of federal, state and local officials to coordinate such efforts.
NACo has endorsed the Combat Meth Act (S.103/H.R.314) that would restrict pseudoephedrine sales.
NACo hopes the administration will reverse its earlier decision to eliminate the Justice Assistance Grant program. Counties use this $804 million program to fund regional drug task forces to fight meth and other drugs. President George W. Bush zeroed it out in his Fiscal Year 2006 budget proposal.
NACo released the results of its first survey of counties regarding methamphetamine in July 2005. The study found that meth is the leading drug-related local law enforcement problem in the country, and that meth is a major cause of child abuse and neglect. Of the 500 responding law enforcement agencies, 87 percent reported increases in meth related arrests starting three years ago, and 58 percent reported that methamphetamine is their largest drug problem. Methamphetamine outpaced cocaine at 19 percent, marijuana at 17 percent, and heroin at 3 percent.
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