Pubdate: Sat, 24 Apr 2004
Source: Tennessean, The (TN)
Copyright: 2004 The Tennessean
Contact:  http://www.tennessean.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/447
Author: Leon Alligood, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BREDESEN NAMES TASK FORCE ON METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE

Legislative Committee Didn't Agree on Approach

Gov. Phil Bredesen has named 20 Tennesseans from across the state to the 
Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse.

The complete list of members was announced yesterday, two weeks after 
Bredesen announced that state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens will be 
chairman of the panel.

Bredesen agreed to appoint the task force after a joint House/Senate 
committee failed to reach a consensus about which of 31 meth-related bills 
would be passed on for a vote by the General Assembly. Many of the bills 
required expenditures of millions of dollars, something the committee was 
not willing to do.

Methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that can be manufactured in a 
kitchen-turned-laboratory, is popular in counties on and adjacent to the 
Cumberland Plateau and other locations in the state. According to the 
federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the state now accounts for 75% of 
meth-lab seizures in the southeastern United States.

The task force will meet for the first time next Tuesday in Nashville at 
the Capitol. Givens has pledged to have subsequent meetings in other 
communities across the state.

Meth task force

Members of the new Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse, the 
chairman of which is state Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens:

Police officials: Haywood County Sheriff Melvin Bond; Morristown Police 
Chief Roger Overholt; Bledsoe County Sheriff Bob Swafford; Kingston Police 
Chief James Washam; David Griswold, interim director of the Tennessee 
Bureau of Investigation.

Medical experts: Ed Hansberry, Nashville pharmacist; Leighta Laitinen, 
Mountain States Health Alliance, Johnson City; Doug Wilson, Rockwood 
pharmacist; Dr. Sullivan Smith, Cookeville; Russ Spray, CEO, Southern 
Tennessee Medical Center, Winchester; David Brown, drug abuse counselor, 
Chattanooga.

Legal experts: Circuit Judge Lillie Ann Sells, Cookeville; District 
Attorney General Tommy Thompson, whose district includes Wilson, Trousdale, 
Macon, Smith and Jackson counties; John Henderson, public defender, Franklin.

Elected leaders: State Sen. Charlotte Burks, D-Monterey; state Rep. Charlie 
Curtiss, D-Sparta; Tullahoma Mayor Steve Cope; Putnam County Commissioner 
Johnnie Wheeler.

Educator: Augusta Mayo, school principal, Memphis.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager