I represent Coffee and Warren Counties, - two of about 45 Tennessee counties plagued with an exponentially growing methamphetamine problem.

My primary background and occupation has always been law enforcement.

I walked into my first meth lab in White County, Tenn., in 1996. In the eight years that have passed, rural Tennessee has become the second most popular place in the country to setup a meth lab and to cook its poison - right behind Central California.

In the past 18 months, over 1,600 children have been forcibly removed from Tennessee homes because their parents were cooking methamphetamine. Over 750 of these children are in state custody - a horrific and costly problem associated with this drug.

[continues 980 words]