Congresswoman Darlene Hooley’s Meth Forum

The big issues were an increased need for funding law enforcement, treatment and prevention programs.

All forum photos by: Lela Taylor

(SALEM) - Darlene Hooley’s Meth Forum held Saturday morning at the Senator Hearing Room, Courthouse Square, brought a wealth of information to the roomful of interested professionals and citizens.

The diversity of the panel included information from the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association, DEA, Oregon State Police, Oregon Partnership, State Mental Health and Addiction Services, Child Welfare Alcohol and Drug Services, Circuit Court Judge from Lane County, and the private business sector represented by Pacific Power.

Congresswoman Hooley says Oregon is an innovative leader in pioneering efforts of innovative programs to battle the war on methamphetamines. She feels as a state, “We need to keep Oregon as the forerunner in this battle.”

Hooley says the importance of treatment and prevention programs, revised and improved healthcare systems, and more money to law enforcement agencies were the prevailing theme of this forum.

As the Honorable Daryle L. Larson, Lane County Circuit Court judge, put it, “Fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) is spent in two hours 45 minutes on the war in Iraq...” These monies could be used in treatment and prevention programs across the nation.

Several people pointed out that the federal and state government need to realize now is not the time to be cutting funds to much needed agencies that are fighting this war on methamphetamines.

It was also mentioned that this is not a problem just in our country but worldwide. The United Nations’ involvement is an important step in getting other nations to put self-imposed needs on pseudo amphetamines in the war against meth.

As Ken Magee, Assistant Special Agent, Drug Enforcement Administration, Portland Field Division, put it, the key ingredients in this war on drugs are education, prevention, treatment and enforcement.

Rob Bovett

Smurfing is a term for having friends go out and buy ingredients to make methamphetamines. It was a topic discussed by Rob Bovett, legal counsel with the Oregon Narcotics Enforcement Association. This is described as a method the addicts use in getting around the behind-the-counter laws for cold/allergy medicines.

He says they do it on an individual and basis, and now have interstate smurfing. A positive note is that some drug companies are taking heed and developing remedies that don’t contain products that people can reuse in the manufacturing of meth.

Judy Cushing, President/CEO, of the Oregon Partnership, sees prevention taking the lead in this fight against methamphetamines.

She says Meth is the leading health epidemic at all levels of local government and community programs and funding is essential to help establish prevention programs. Funding is also needed for employers to help with the growing severe problem of employees who are addicts.

Captain Ed Mouery of the Oregon State Police Criminal Investigations Unit, emphasizes that continued support and training assistance for small area law enforcement agencies and new technology devices to assist law enforcement would be one important aspect of helping fight this problem.

Karen Wheeler of Oregon's Community Prevention Office works in the mental health and addiction fields. She presented statistical trends showing the increase among teens in using drugs - methamphetamines being the most popular drug of choice behind alcohol and marijuana.

She says underage drinking is a top problem, and Oregon has the highest rate of admission increase for treatment time. For women, meth is a drug of choice. Since 1999, female users of meth have increased 69%.

The head of the state’s Child Welfare Alcohol and Drug Services program, Jay Wurscher, emphasized the decrease in availability of foster care. The increase of children taken from drug-problem homes who need foster care has increased by 1,400 since last year.

He says more foster homes are needed for these children, but, again, the issue of funding came up as a major need in our child foster care system. Wurscher says, “The rowing of the ship” is what is needed now to keep things moving for the needs of the children.

Diana Corder with Pacific Power, represented Salem’s private sector. She reiterated the needs expressed by the other panel members but also emphasized the need for training of private industry employers.

The increased problem of drug addiction is seriously affecting our workforce. Programs are needed to help employers assist their employees with treatment programs and prevention. How to get private business owners to get involved with the process of drug identification is another important issue facing this sector of our community.

Carlson

There were many comments and questions from the audience. One was from Marion County Commissioner Janet Carlson, who says Marion County is continuing to emphasize treatment prevention programs and that the county is currently working on a Center for Families.

The final message seems to be that citizens need to rise up and demand help from the federal government. The meth problem has evolved through all levels of our communities, from big cities to small rural communities, and they need help in facing this very serious problem.

For further information about who to contact concerning the methamphetamine problem, contact No Meth-Not in My Neighborhood Program, 503-362-9790; or you can contact the office of Congresswoman Darlene Hooley, at 503-588-6609.