Pubdate: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 Source: Courier, The (Russellville, AR) Website: http://www.couriernews.com/default.asp Copyright: 2003, Russellville Newspapers, Inc Address: 201 East Second St, P.O. Box 887, Russellville, AR 72811-0887 Contact: 479-968-5252 Fax: 479-968-4037 ROCKER NUGENT TO SPEAK IN CITY Rock musician and avid sportsman Ted Nugent will speak out against alcohol and other drugs in Russellville during a regional planning meeting aimed at addressing the methamphetamine problem in a 10-county area. The meeting will be held Sept. 29 at Tucker Coliseum at Arkansas Tech University. The event is being hosted by the prosecuting attorneys in three judicial districts -- David Gibbons (5th District, which includes Pope, Johnson and Franklin counties), H.G. Foster (20th District, Faulkner, Van Buren and Searcy counties) and Tom Tatum II (15th District, Conway, Yell, Logan and Scott counties). "The use of methamphetamine in Arkansas is increasing at a disturbing rate. It is a highly addictive drug that is not only a danger to the user, but to the entire community, and thus, requires a community response," Gibbons said. "The community's participation in this meeting is needed to come up with an action plan that will be successful." The multi-regional meeting is a follow-up to the 2002 Governor's Methamphetamine Summit. It is being conducted in partnership with the Prevention Resource Center of Community Service Inc. and supported by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, Division of Behavioral Health, of the Department of Human Services. Community leaders at the meeting will help develop a strategic plan for the prevention of methamphetamine use. All 50 schools in the 10-county area have been invited to send students to participate. Nugent, who is considered one of the top guitar showmen, is a spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He has recorded 30 albums between 1967 and 2003 that have sold more than 30 million copies. He also is creator and producer of "Spirit of the Wild" on the Outdoor Channel. "Arkansas has a methamphetamine epidemic," Gibbons said. "The use of this dangerous drug is increasing at an alarming rate. We need the community's help to combat it." Some state statistics regarding methamphetamine use: n Arkansas ranks in the top of the country for methamphetamine lab seizures per capita, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). n Six meth labs were seized in 1994, 434 in 1998 and 952 in 2002. n The average cost to clean up a meth labe ranges from $3,000 to $9,000. n A 1999 study reported that about 14 percent of Arkansas youth have used methamphetamine. It is estimated that 85 percent of those who try the drug become addicts. The conference -- which begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. -- is free, and lunch is provided. The registration deadline is Thursday, Sept. 25. For additional information on the conference or to register, please call Diana Sponer at Community Service at (501) 354-4589.