Q: Will meth continue to be a threat in 2009?
A: The National Drug Intelligence Center recently released the National Drug Threat Assessment for 2009. The Assessment predicts that homegrown meth production will increase for 2009 to levels not seen since 2007. Any increase in domestic production would be the first since Congress and states enacted tough laws to prevent the sale of meth precursor chemicals in 2005.
Q: Why did meth production drop and why is it increasing now?
A: Congress and many states passed tough laws to combat the scourge of meth in 2005. At the Federal level, I sponsored the Combat Methamphetamine Enforcement Act, which cut off access to ingredients used to cook meth. As a result, we saw a dramatic decrease in the amount of domestic meth labs, especially in Iowa, where law enforcement discovered 1,500 meth labs in 2004, but only 185 in 2008. While this reduction is a victory, drug dealers shifted gears, found other sources, and began importing a more potent and dangerous crystal meth from Mexico. Thanks to strong leadership by allies like Felipe Calderon, the President of Mexico, that country has put its money and energy where its mouth is and cracked down on the precursors needed to produce meth in Mexico. As a result, cheap potent meth imports are now down as well, causing meth dealers to shift tactics again and begin producing meth again domestically. This time, meth cooks are using an old trick to kick start domestic meth production. To get the quantity of the precursors pseudoephedrine and ephedrine needed to produce meth, users and distributors are turning to "smurfing" – the process of purchasing precursor products in small amounts from multiple stores to get around state and federal laws that limit the quantity you can purchase. Once they've assembled enough product, they produce meth in domestic meth labs.
Q: What is being done to stop "smurfing"?
A: The Combat Methamphetamine Enforcement Act was updated last year when President Bush signed into law the Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act. I sponsored this bill to target "smurfers" by allowing stores to use written or electronic logbooks at pharmacies, which can better assist law enforcement. The law also makes it a crime to knowingly "smurf" meth precursors. The National Drug Threat Assessment stated that more than 1,100 children were injured at, killed at, or removed from meth labs from 2007 to September 2008. Those children deserve better. The Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act helps give law enforcement the tools needed to combat this rising threat and to make sure that this trend stops before it starts.
Q: Is other drug use rising as well?
A: The National Drug Threat Summary says cocaine is the biggest threat to the U.S., followed by meth, marijuana, heroin, pharmaceutical drugs and ecstasy. Efforts by our law enforcement agencies have helped cut off cocaine coming into the country and cocaine levels have fallen to levels not seen in years. This shortage has driven up the cost of cocaine on the street by 41 percent, while reducing the purity. Victories against cocaine come at the same time as an increase in prescription drug abuse. Each year, more and more Americans are abusing prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines. These users obtain their drugs through lawful and unlawful means, such as doctor shopping, prescription fraud, or by ordering large amounts of prescription drugs online. Prescription drug abuse costs insurance companies nearly $73 billion each year – nearly 2/3 paid by public insurers. The federal government set aside $14 billion in 2009 to help provide drug treatment, drug prevention, counterdrug law enforcement, and counterdrug assistance internationally. Drug traffickers continue to shift tactics, and the challenge is to stay one step ahead to curb illegal drug use, drug abuse and distribution.