Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2005
Source: Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale, IL)
Copyright: 2005 Southern Illinoisan
Contact:  http://www.TheSouthern.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1430
Author: Andrea Hahn
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BRADLEY TO DISCUSS METH EFFECTS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES

COELLO - Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, is in Coello tonight to discuss the 
effects of methamphetamine on rural communities.

Bradley, recognized at a recent meth conference in Williamson County by 
Attorney General Lisa Madigan as a "general in the war on meth," has held 
several town hall-type meetings to discuss the dangers of meth.

The meetings are conducted by Bradley and local law enforcement, treatment 
specialists, elected officials and firefighters to educate the community 
about what meth is, how it poses dangers to the community, how it and its 
users can be recognized and what a community can do to protect itself and 
help its residents who are affected by the illegal drug.

Bradley has been part of creating and promoting legislation aimed at 
stopping meth manufacture. Meth, a home-made drug produced with common 
ingredients, is typically made in user-cells rather than by a major 
producer in a pyramid-like distribution system. Bradley has compared the 
spread of meth to cancer, saying fighting it is more like fighting 
terrorist cells than a standard "drug war."

The meeting is at 6 p.m. today at the Coello Village Hall. Scheduled to 
join Bradley are representatives of Franklin-Williamson County Human 
Services and local law enforcement, firefighters and community leaders.

Topics of the forum will include: meth lab warning signs, symptoms of 
addiction and how to help an addict and state laws pertaining to 
methamphetamine.

For more information, call the representative's regional office at (618) 
997-9697.
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MAP posted-by: Beth