Schumer: Patriol Act Legislation Includes New Measures to Crackdown on Crystal Meth
SCHUMER: PATRIOT ACT LEGISLATION INCLUDES NEW MEASURES TO CRACKDOWN ON CRYSTAL METH
President Signing Bill Today That Closes Loopholes, Allocates Immediate Dollars For Education, Prevention, and Treatment - And Puts Pseudoephedrine Behind The Pharmacy Counter
Schumer: When Similar Law Implemented In Oklahoma, Measure Drove Down Meth Seizures By 70 Percent
As methamphetamine usage continues to spread throughout New York State, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced major progress in the fight to crackdown on the crystal meth epidemic. Schumer, a co-sponsor of the Combat Meth Act, said provisions of the legislation now included in the Patriot Act, will help close loopholes, allocate immediate dollars for education, prevention, and treatment, stamp out the international trade in methamphetamine, and put pseudoephedrine behind the pharmacy counter.
"In our fight against the spread of crystal meth, today marks a major step forward," Schumer said. "Now that this is law, local law enforcement will have more of the tools they need to effectively combat this ongoing epidemic. We should see increased prevention, treatment, and care across New York State."
In December, a bipartisan deal was reached on provisions of the Combat Meth Act, originally co-sponsored by Schumer. Specifically, the measures included in the Patriot Act would:
Restrict the sale of necessary ingredient to make meth - Amends the Controlled Substances Act to appropriately limit and record the sale of medicines containing pseudoephedrine by placing them behind the pharmacy counter and sets a limit on how much of such medicines one person can buy - 9.0 grams in a month and 3.6 grams in a single day.
Provide critical resources to hot spot areas to reduce availability of meth - Provides an additional $99,000,000 in grants to States and local law enforcement agencies to assist in the investigation of meth traffickers and to support State and local health department and environmental agency services deployed to address the meth epidemic.
Increase penalties for meth smugglers and kingpins - Adds a sentence of up to 15 years in prison for those who smuggle meth into this country, and includes more large-scale meth dealers in the category of drug kingpins who receive enhanced sentences.
Enhance law enforcement's ability to track major international meth producers - Grants $1,000,000 to add a special section on meth to the State Department's report on major drug trafficking countries; if any of the countries designated in the report does not fully cooperate with the United States in limiting meth production and trade, their U.S. aid will be jeopardized.
Prevent the smuggling of meth from Mexico - In order to stamp out the dangerous and free-flowing trade in meth across the Mexican border, the bill provides $4,000,000 to enhance bilateral border enforcement efforts and to facilitate cooperation with the Mexican government.
Adds critical funding for federal drug courts ¬- Authorizes an additional $70,000,000 to fund federal drug courts.
Provide services for children affected by the spread of meth - Provides $20,000,000 in grant funding for Drug Endangered Children rapid response teams to promote collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to assist and educate children that have been affected by the production of methamphetamine.
Nationally, meth use has grown by as much as 300% in some communities. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, during 2000, 4% of the U.S. population or 12.3 million people reported trying methamphetamine at least once in their lifetime. Nationwide meth lab seizures have more than doubled from over 7,000 in 1999 to over 17,000 in 2004. In 1999, there were three meth lab raids in the entire state of New York, but by 2003 there were 73. In the past year, we have made some progress with raids slightly dropping to 53 in 2004. Admissions for meth users NYS drug treatment clinics have risen by over 80% in five years. In 1999, 623 people were admitted to treatment for meth addiction in NYS, but by 2004 that number grew to 1,118.
This problem plagues every corner of New York State; there have been clandestine meth lab raids in 39 counties since 1999. In some regions, like the Southern Tier and North Country the problem is particularly acute. Meth lab raids in the Southern Tier and North Country account for 71% of the total meth lab raids, but only for 38% of meth addiction admissions.
Methamphetamine is perhaps the most deadly, fiercely addictive and rapidly spreading drug the United States has known. During the past decade, while law enforcement officers continue to bust record numbers of clandestine labs, meth use in communities has skyrocketed. Meth is cheap, potent, and available everywhere.
The continuing proliferation of methamphetamine production continues to put a severe strain on federal and local entities. Fighting meth requires a comprehensive approach designed to assist states, local law enforcement and prosecutors to crack down on cooks and traffickers of meth while enhancing community education and awareness and treatment options for those addicted to this dangerous drug.
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2006/PR94.Meth.030906.html