CURRENT AFFAIRS
By Eric Coleman
Oakland County Commissioner
National Association of Counties 1st Vice President
As the First Vice President of the National Association of Counties (NACo), I have the opportunity to speak with county officials from all over the country. Over the past several months, a majority of those officials have spoken with increasing frequency about how methamphetamine (meth) abuse is having a devastating effect on their communities. It is not only causing a strain on county governments, but is ruining families.
NACo commissioned two surveys earlier this summer to determine the actual extent of the problem—and the results were startling. In the first survey, “The Criminal Effect of Meth on Communities,” nearly 60 percent of responding county law enforcement agencies said that meth was now their largest drug problem, far outpacing marijuana, cocaine and heroin. Eighty-seven percent of counties reported that meth arrests had increased in the past three years. Fifty percent of the counties estimated that 1 in 5 of their current jail inmates were housed because of meth-related crimes. The problem is even worse in the other half of the counties surveyed. Seventeen percent of the counties report that more than half of their populations are incarcerated because of meth-related crimes. Seventy percent of the responding officials say that robberies or burglaries have increased because of meth use, while 62 percent report increases in domestic violence. In addition, simple assaults (53 percent) and identity thefts (27 percent) have also increased.
The second survey, “The Impact of Meth on Children,” showed that 40 percent of child welfare officials reported increased out-of-home placements because of meth. The problem is much more significant in several states. Both California and Colorado county welfare officials reported out-of-home placement increases as high as 70 percent. It seems obvious that the nation has another serious drug problem. But, what can be done about it? Because counties are on the frontlines of this particular drug war, NACo is putting the highest priority on this issue, seeking to raise awareness in both Washington, D.C. and local communities around the country about the scourge of methamphetamines taking hold across our nation.
Counties have a vested interest in this fight because almost all of the responding agencies dealing with meth are at the county-level. County sheriff and police departments are involved with the arrest and subsequent incarceration of meth abusers. County environmental departments oftentimes are tasked with cleaning up toxic meth labs. County health workers treat many of these meth addicts. And, although not the case in Michigan, social services are often run at the county level, so these agencies must determine whether a child living in a “meth house” should be placed in foster care.
NACo would like to see comprehensive legislation from Congress that addresses all of these issues. Currently, there are several bills stuck in various committees in both the House and Senate that focus on certain aspects of the entire meth problem. NACo would also like to see the full restoration of funding ($804 million) from the Justice Assistance Grant Program, which was zeroed out in the President’s proposed budget. This program funds, among other things, drug task forces, which law enforcement has found invaluable in combating this problem.
The Administration had identified marijuana as the nation’s top drug problem. Over the past several weeks, due in large part to the overwhelming media coverage NACo received for its two surveys, members of the Administration have said that meth is a major drug problem in this country—and more focus needs to be shifted towards stopping its spread. This is very significant because there must be federal leadership on this issue.
While Michigan has not been as hit hard by meth as several other states in the Midwest, particularly Indiana, Iowa and Minnesota, many of you recognize that meth is already becoming a problem here. In fact, Governor Granholm recently signed a bill limiting access to pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient to meth.
“We must do everything in our power to protect Michigan children and families from those who seek to harm them,” the Governor said. “These bills place common-sense limits on the ingredients needed to produce this highly addictive illegal drug.”
In Oakland County, the Prosecuting Attorney’s office reports that since October 2001, their office has reviewed approximately 30 cases involving either possessing or possessing with intent to deliver the controlling substance methamphetamine. There were 10 such cases in 2004. So far in 2005, there are already 5 cases.
While the meth labs are not commonplace yet in Oakland County, the number of cases where defendants are being charged with possessing in drug locally also indicates that the drug is being purchased with increasing ease. In 2004, an Oakland County Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET) investigation led to charging an individual with operating a meth lab in western Oakland County.
NET officers also located and dismantled a meth lab in Royal Oak in 2004. The process of manufacturing meth is extremely dangerous and the process of dismantling meth labs is equally hazardous. Fires caused by these labs have killed innocent children and meth “cookers” alike across the nation. Touching these chemicals or just breathing their fumes can cause sickness, permanent injury or, even, death. Improper disposal from an illegal meth lab can also turn our soil and waterways into environmental waste dumps.
Over the next several months, NACo will continue to work with all levels of government to try to eradicate this drug problem. Subsequent surveys on different aspects of this problem are planned, and NACo recently formed a Meth Action Group, which is comprised of county officials from all over the country. The group will serve as a forum to assess the impact of meth production, distribution and abuse on communities, and to promote dialogue between federal, state and local officials and the private sector for a coordinated strategy to respond to the meth epidemic.