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| Wilson Lends Support to Anti-Meth Bill |
March 25, 2002 |
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WASHINGTON, DC - Congresswoman Heather Wilson has cosponsored legislation that will provide financial assistance to local law enforcement in the fight against methamphetamine use and production. The Clean, Learn, Educate, Abolish, Neutralize and Undermine Production (CLEAN-UP) of Methamphetamines Act would fund a matching grant program that will provide training for law enforcement to safely bust methamphetamine labs. It would also provide protective equipment including Air Purifying Respirators (APR) and NOMEX fire retardant suits to law enforcement officers.
“We need to provide greater resources for local law enforcement to fight the scourge of methamphetamine,” said Wilson. “The damage it does, not only to individual users, but also to those who must clean it up must be stopped. This funding in this legislation would be a great help to New Mexico’s law enforcement efforts.”
Methamphetamine is one of the fastest growing drugs in the United States. Nationwide, seizures of meth production labs have increased significantly from 263 labs in 1994 to 8,462 labs in 2000. Methamphetamine is made from numerous toxic chemicals that are dangerous to not only the user, but to producers and the law enforcement community that comes in contact with meth labs. Methamphetamine production leaves behind five to six pounds of toxic waste per pound of methamphetamine produced. Meth lab investigations require special health and haz-mat procedures and specially trained investigative personnel to collect and handle evidence seized. Emergency response teams often cannot enter a suspected meth crime scene because they do not have the appropriate protective equipment.
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