Three members of President Bush’s cabinet appeared at the Davidson County Drug Court today to express what they called “a firm commitment” to fighting the spread of meth-amphetamines.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt minced no words as he summed up the impact of meth-amphetamine abuse:
“It fries their brain, it ruins their lives, it spreads diseases, it inspires crime, it drains communities and it destroys families.”
Leavitt, along with Drug Czar John Walters and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales applauded the success of the drug court and called it an example for the rest of the nation to follow. They also announced new programs to address both the supply of and demand for meth, including a 1-point-5 million dollar grant for the Tennessee Department of Health. In addition, they said the administration intends to encourage Congress to regulate the purchase, packaging and importation of medicines containing pseudo-ephedrine, a key ingredient in meth.
As a criminal court judge in Cookeville, Lillie Ann Sells hears cases involving meth on a regular basis. She says she’s encouraged by the announcements, particularly the show of support for pseudo-ephedrine controls. She says traditional law enforcement works well for drug trafficking, but home meth labs are different.
“Meth-amphetamine, the local manufacture of it in the homes is a much harder fight and we must remove the precursors, whether it’s TN or KY or NC or where ever. That has to be done as a first step, obviously in addition to education.”
Critics have accused the Bush administration of spending too much effort on fighting marijuana and not enough on attacking meth. Walters refuted that claim, saying the administration is committed to fighting drug abuse in all its forms.
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