Pubdate: Tue, 12 Oct 2004
Pubdate: Tue, 12 Oct 2004
Source: Quad-City Times (IA)
http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=3D1037048&t=3DIowa+%2F+Illinois=&c=3D24,1037048
Section: Page A12
Copyright: 2004 Quad-City Times
Contact:  http://www.qctimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/857
Author: Dan Gearino
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

EDWARDS OUTLINES PLAN TO FIGHT METH

NEWTON, Iowa - Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards outlined 
a plan Monday to fight methamphetamine abuse and argued President Bush has 
allowed use of the drug to grow out of control.

"Methamphetamine has become a cancer in rural areas and small towns in this 
country," Edwards said in a conference call with reporters immediately 
after a campaign rally at Newton High School.

Iowa leaders have struggled for the past decade to contain the growth of 
meth sales and abuse, especially in rural parts of the state. And state 
officials are concerned about a congressional proposal that would cut 
funding to Iowa's anti-meth efforts.

As of Sept. 30, law officers across Iowa have reported 906 meth lab 
incidents this year, compared to 791 a year ago.

Edwards described the plan as a three-pronged attack:

* Reduce meth production by making it more difficult to get the drug's raw 
ingredients and by increasing existing law-enforcement efforts.

* Increase (http://www.qctimes.com/nie)education about the dangers of= meth.

* Offer financial assistance to communities cleaning up former 
meth-production sites.

He said the plan would cost about $30 million, which would be offset by "a 
reduction in wasteful government spending."

Edwards criticized Bush for presiding over a growth in the country's meth 
problem and proposing a reduction in law-enforcement money directed at meth 
hot spots.

"George Bush is taking us in exactly the wrong direction," he said.

A spokesman for the Bush campaign in Iowa, Dan Ronayne, said the president 
has led the fight against meth.

"President Bush increased anti-drug funding more than $550 million in his 
fiscal year 2005 budget and there has been a 79 percent increase in law 
enforcement action against methamphetamine labs since the president took 
office," he said.