A new statewide effort to crack down on the spread of methamphetamine was launched Thursday as a result of the 2003 Tennessee General Assembly. The MethWatch program aims to combine a public information campaign with an intelligence collection system to curtail the boom of methamphetamine production in Tennessee. Tennessee is ranked second in the nation in meth production, according to officials. The drug is known to be volatile and deadly while it is being produced and is highly addictive. "Meth abuse is reaching epidemic proportions in Tennessee, particularly in rural communities," said Governor Phil Bredesen in a public statement. "I want to get serious about cracking down on the problem...The only way to truly address the problem is to get everyone working together from TBI to local law enforcement officials, from retailers to citizens." [continues 279 words]
The Fourth Judicial Drug and Violent Crime Task Force wrapped up 2003 having made 61 arrests and seizing a total of $782,040 in drugs. The number of methamphetamine labs busted increased from two in 2002 to 15 in 2003. Task Force Director John Evans said his agents work at all hours, without overtime pay, to get the job done. "I'm proud of them," he said. Attorney General Al Schmutzer Jr. said he was pleased with the task force's accomplishments and their ability to work closely with other agencies. From 2000 until 2003, the task force has worked cases leading to a total of 554 indictments. There were 182 from 2003 alone. [continues 170 words]
The rise of methamphetamine use in Sevier County is cutting the lives of addicts short and damaging their bodies severely along the way. Methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug, has been around for years but did not become a problem in Tennessee until the mid-1990s. In the last five years, the problem has skyrocketed, with a dramatic increase within the last year. The 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimated 8.8 million people, or four percent of the population, have tried meth at some point in their lives. [continues 1209 words]
As the use and manufacture of methamphetamine in Sevier County grows, so do the hazards associated with the drug. The hazards of methamphetamine include dangers to the community in general, the officers busting the labs, health personnel, the environment, and to the meth makers, meth addicts and their families. Crime factor As with other drugs, meth manufacturing and use often leads to other crimes, so as meth use rises, so does the potential for an increase in other associated crimes. Methamphetamine users experience an intense "crash" after the drug wears off, and will often turn to crime to fund their habit, according to law enforcement officials. [continues 1195 words]
