PROGRESS BEING MADE IN WAR ON CRYSTAL METH

There Are Plenty Of Statistics Indicating Crystal Meth Continues To Be
A Significant Problem Locally.

"Methamphetamine remains the number one narcotic in Marshall County
accounting for 70 percent of all controlled substance crimes," Rob
Savage, director of the Marshall County Drug Enforcement Unit, told
members of the Boaz Rotary Club last week. "It impacts every area of
our community."

Think about that for a minute. Nearly three out of every four drug
cases in our county involves one drug, crystal meth, in some form or
fashion.

As an example of the drug's expanding influence locally, Savage said
the Drug Enforcement Unit worked a total of about 340 cases in 1999,
with less than one third involving crystal meth. This year, the unit
will work more than 600 cases with more than 400 crystal meth related.
Another point of comparison, in 1999, the unit located a total of
three clandestine meth labs. This year, the unit has already located
and destroyed 50 labs.

Probably the scariest statistic of all: the Department of Human
Resources has seen a 500 percent increase in neglect and abuse cases
involving children locally, and the main reason is because so many
parents in the area have become addicted to crystal meth and then take
it out on their kids.

While these and other indicators can make the likelihood of stopping
crystal meth seem improbable if not impossible, there are starting to
be statistics indicating progress is being made.

For example, Savage said innovative approaches such as court referral
and drug court have reduced the recidivism rate to 7 percent, the
first time it has been below 10 percent, which means there are fewer
people than ever who are arrested for crystal meth and then repeat the
offense.

There are now more than 125 graduates of drug court, an alternative
sentencing program, Savage said, who have proven their ability to
overcome their addiction and return to the community as productive
citizens.

Health professionals are constantly revising their treatment protocols
for those addicted, he said, with ever increasing success rates.
Through intensive initial care and long-term follow up, he said, even
severe addictions are now being overcome.

Savage attributes the area's progress with regard to crystal meth to a
number of factors, including increased cooperation between different
agencies and a recognition by the community that it is going to take
more than law enforcement alone to get this important job done.

"Our local governments and community organizations have joined law
enforcement in recognizing that the police alone will not succeed,"
Savage said. "Our leaders have moved to the front in acknowledging
these issues and providing the tools necessary to resolve them."

Savage said there are still plenty of times when those on the front
lines of the war against crystal meth feel overwhelmed by the daunting
task of trying to take our community back from this incredibly
destructive substance.

But for the first time, he is also seeing some indications all that
hard work is beginning to pay off, which is good news for all of us.

"We still have serious obstacles to overcome, but the picture is much
brighter," Savage said.