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Other Voices - Grassley Q & A: combatting meth
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By: Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)
| 09/27/2007 |
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Q: What is the Combat Meth Act?
A: The devastating impact of meth spreads well beyond just drug users. Meth hurts families, particularly the children of meth users, as well as the larger community that gets hit with the damage this terrible drug inflicts on our society. Unlike other drugs, meth can be home cooked from easily accessible ingredients which has lead to meth labs and "super labs" in rural communities.
Iowa recognized this problem early andÊenacted strict stateÊlaws controlling the sale of precursor chemicals, reducing the availability of necessary ingredients for meth.ÊÊRecognizing the early successes of Iowa's law,ÊIÊco-sponsored the Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005ÊatÊtheÊfederal level to bring similar controls to all statesÊacross the country.Ê This legislation limited the amount of drugs that can be used to make meth that a customer can buy and mandated that pharmacies keep written or electronic logbooks recording the purchase of these drugs.Ê
TheÊlegislationÊalsoÊgave prosecutors and local law enforcementÊadditionalÊresourcesÊto fight meth on the frontlines and bring meth cooks and traffickers to justice.ÊÊBecause ofÊIowa's own law, as well as the national law that was implementedÊin surrounding states, we have seen some encouraging results.ÊMeth lab incidents in Iowa have decreased from about 1,500 in 2004, when the Iowa law went into effect, to just 89 through July 31st of this year. Nationally, there was a 41 percent reduction in meth labs in 2006 alone, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency.
To build on that success, I recently introduced legislation that would strengthen the Combat Meth Act by requiring pharmacies to keep their databases of meth precursor purchases electronically to make information sharing among pharmacies more effective in stopping meth producers.
Q: What is being done to keep meth off our streets?
A: ÊMeth producers and drug traffickers are relentless in their pursuit of putting drugs on our streets.Ê We need to be equally relentless in our efforts to stop them. The Combat Meth Act has done a lot of good nationwide, but the challenge is making sure that when we close one door for meth production, we act quickly to shut the next door that opens.Ê
At a Senate Finance Committee hearing in September, I heard testimony about meth beingÊbrought across our southern border from Mexico. Nearly 80 percent of our meth comes from Mexico, however most of our resources areÊhave been allocated to the 20 percent produced domestically. The purpose of this hearing was to make sure the Administration is effectively using all its assets to keep meth out of the United States.ÊÊ
ÊAnother growing problem is the marketing of meth to the most at-risk group for drug abuse:Êchildren. Meth producers are now offering candy flavored meth to young people. In response, I've introduced the Saving Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act. This legislation would triple the federal penalties for drug dealers who flavor or disguise illegal drugs to make them more appealing to people under age 21.
It's important that all of us remain vigilant in the fight against meth. Together, we can help create a safer environment for our children and the generations to come.
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