WASHINGTON – Senators
Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Representatives
Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and John Curtis (R-Utah) today introduced the
Methamphetamine
Response Act, a bill declaring methamphetamine an emerging drug threat
which would require the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to
develop, implement and make public a national plan to prevent methamphetamine
addiction and overdoses from becoming a crisis.
“For years, meth has taken lives and destroyed
families across America, particularly in the Midwest. Though this drug is not
new, drug traffickers are finding new and harmful ways to increase meth’s
potency and distribution, spiking overdose rates. By declaring meth an emerging
drug threat, our bill helps law enforcement better respond to the challenges
presented by drug traffickers’ evolving tactics, and urges our federal partners
to continue to prioritize a response and strategy to address the meth crisis,” Grassley said.
“In a single year we’ve seen psychostimulant-related
overdose deaths, which include meth, spike by 42 percent,” said Feinstein. “The meth available on our streets is pure,
potent and cheap and law enforcement is seizing more of the drug than ever. Two
of the largest seizures on record occurred in California last year and in just
a five month period, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized more than 75,000
pounds of methamphetamine. Clearly we are in the midst of a meth crisis and we
must implement a national, comprehensive plan to address this threat before it
claims even more American lives.”
“Once known as the meth capital of the United
States, San Diego has a long, arduous history in working to combat
methamphetamine production and addiction,” said
Peters. “Law enforcement
officials still refer to our region as ‘ground zero’ for the nation’s meth
problem, and a surge in the amount of the drug smuggled across the U.S. Mexico
border in recent years has caused overdose cases to skyrocket. Our communities
are in crisis and require the support of the government to address this issue
head-on. As meth-related deaths continue to rise with each passing year, it is
critical we recognize meth as an emerging threat nationwide.”
“Over the last decade, methamphetamine addiction and
fatalities have skyrocketed across the United States – especially in rural
areas like the ones I am proud to represent. The COVID-19 pandemic has only
exacerbated the problem by spreading resources thinly and making it more
difficult to connect with individuals in need of support. To combat this
threat, I am proud to co-lead the bipartisan Methamphetamine Response Act,
which channels the necessary resources at the highest levels of government to
develop and implement a nationwide plan to prevent this dangerous drug from
becoming even more prevalent in our communities,” said Curtis.
What the bill does:
- Declares methamphetamine an emerging drug threat, as
defined in section 702 of the ONDCP Reauthorization Act of 1998
- Requires ONDCP to develop, implement, and make public,
within 90 days of enactment, a national emerging threats response plan
that is specific to methamphetamine, in accordance with section 709(d) of
the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998.
- The ONDCP plan must be updated annually and include
the following:
- An assessment of the methamphetamine
threat, including the current availability of, and demand for the drug,
and evidence-based prevention and treatment programs, as well as law
enforcement programs;
- Short- and long term goals, including
those focused on supply and demand reduction, and on expanding the
availability and effectiveness of treatment and prevention programs;
- Performance measures pertaining to the
plan’s goals;
- The level of funding needed to implement
the plan; and
- An implementation strategy, goals, and
objectives for a media campaign.
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