Pubdate: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 Source: Deseret News (UT) Copyright: 2002 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: http://www.desnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/124 Author: Lee Davidson DRUG WAR MAKES PROGRESS WASHINGTON - Mind-bending methamphetamine, smuggled from Mexico or made in small, local labs, is still the No. 1 drug threat in Utah. But Utah is starting to have some success against it, which other states are rushing to copy. That's according to a report about regional drug problems and successes released this week by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy. "Utah has seen a decrease in the number of meth labs, while others are seeing an increase. There's a rush of queries by others asking Utah, 'How are you doing it,' " said Scott Burns, a Utahn who is now deputy director of that drug czar's office. Burns - who was the longtime Iron County attorney, and was a former candidate for Utah attorney general - said the major reason for Utah's success is that local, state and federal law agencies there have learned to work together against the problem. "You would think that would be obvious, and that law enforcement agencies would always work together. But the dirty little secret is that they don't," he said. Burns also praised Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Robert Flowers for persuading highway patrols in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado to work closely together against drug smugglers. Similarly, the written White House report added, "Through some aggressive legislation and enforcement and prosecution efforts, Utah actually has seen a decrease in the number of methamphetamine labs over the last couple of years." But Colorado and Wyoming, for example, which are grouped with Utah into the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, both "have seen a substantial increase in the number of small methamphetamine labs producing small quantities for both personal use and sales." In fact, the report noted that the number of methamphetamine lab seizures in the three-state area escalated from 259 in 1998 to 573 in 2001. But Burns said, "Even here in Washington, people will tell you Utah is a success story and that Utah is ahead of the curve in dealing with meth." He added, "Colorado is in the process of adopting a program that is almost verbatim like Utah's to fight meth." Burns urges people to continue the battle against meth, and warns of its dangers. "Experts say it is the most insidious of all drugs. It is easy to make. It is highly addictive. And rehabilitation is akin to that of heroin, or very difficult." The White House report said that in the Rocky Mountain area, "The primary sources consist of small, in-state clandestine methamphetamine labs and Mexican drug-trafficking organizations. . . . The methamphetamine comes from the Juarez, Mexico-El Paso, Texas area; the Nogales, Mexico-Tucson/Phoenix, Arizona area; and southern California." Burns said Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, with their I-15, I-80 and I-70 freeways, are also major trans-shipment centers for meth and other drugs from Colombia and Mexico to points north and east including Chicago and Milwaukee, but highway patrols there have been cracking down hard. Meanwhile, the report said that officials say the second greatest drug threat in Utah comes from "club drugs," such as Ecstasy (methylenedioxy methamphetamine). "Utah authorities are particularly concerned with the emergence of club drugs, specifically Ecstasy," the report said. "Abuse of these drugs is increasing among high school and college youth, and use is common at rave parties. Intelligence information indicates that most of the club drugs in Utah are coming from California; Las Vegas, Nev.; and British Columbia, Canada," the report said. It compiled information about challenges in the war against drugs from 28 regional task force groups nationally, called High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Programs (HIDTAs). The three-state Rocky Mountain HIDTA was formed in 1996 to help fight drugs in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 authorized the nation's drug czar to designate High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas and set up programs there to increase local and federal cooperation. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth