Thursday, September 28, 2006
CONTACT: Barry E. Piatt
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
DORGAN CALLS FOR INVESTMENT IN FIGHTING METH ADDICTION IN RURAL AMERICA
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and two Senate colleagues said Thursday they will work to restore funding for the most widely used program to fight the methamphetamine epidemic in rural America, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistant Grants, and to bolster funding the President wants to cut for other key programs in the fight against meth.
Dorgan, along with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Max Baucus (D-MT), led a Democratic Policy Committee (DPC) panel discussion in the U.S. Capitol Thursday on the causes, scope and potential solutions to the meth epidemic in rural America. A recent National Association of Counties survey found that methamphetamine remains the number one drug problem across the country and that the number of meth-related crimes continues to grow.
Since 2002, there have been nearly 1,000 meth lab busts in the state of North Dakota. Dorgan said law enforcement officials from North Dakota have told him the Byrne Grants program is critical to their ability to devote resources to fighting the meth epidemic.
“Meth addiction is a painful epidemic destroying families and communities across rural America, and unfortunately, North Dakota is no exception,” Dorgan said. “Local governments need help, and must have adequate resources to enforce the law, prevent meth use, and treat those who have become addicted to meth.”
As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Dorgan has also secured $4.2 million for the Rural Methamphetamine Education Demonstration Project at Minot State University to help combat the meth crisis in rural communities.
Panelists at the discussion included officials who have been on the front line of battling the epidemic, including Captain Hilton Baker, the Commander of the Summit County (OH) Drug Unit, and Gene Haislip, former Deputy Assistant Administrator of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition, the panel featured experts in meth prevention and treatment including Tim Smith, Executive Director of Daybreak Youth Services (serving Washington and Idaho), and Peg Shea, Executive Director of the Montana Meth Project.
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