11.30.06

Thursday November 30 is National Meth Awareness Day

Cantwell, Baird sponsored legislation calling for Meth Awareness Day; Cantwell says increased education, prevention efforts key to halting epidemic

WASHINGTON, DC – Thursday, on National Meth Awareness Day, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called increased awareness about the dangers of methamphetamine vital to keeping this devastating drug out of our communities. Cantwell, along with Congressman Brian Baird, succeeded in passing legislation earlier this year calling for the designation of a week to increase meth awareness. Last month the Department of Justice approved a Meth Awareness Day for November 30, 2006.

“Better awareness about the dangers of meth is absolutely critical to keeping this devastating drug out of our communities,” said Cantwell. “Helping educators and law enforcement confront this epidemic is key. We’ve made some progress, but we still need to do more to tackle this epidemic from every angle. By stopping meth, we can make our communities safer and curb the many problems, from gang activity to identity theft to neglected children, that come with meth trafficking and meth use.”

Cantwell and Baird sought to establish a Meth Prevention Week in response to the growing dangers that the sale and use of meth bring. The lawmakers are also concerned about links between meth abuse and identity theft, domestic violence, and child abuse, and the influx of foreign meth coming across our borders.

Cantwell has worked tirelessly to promote meth awareness initiatives, increase funding for anti-meth programs, and move meth ingredients behind pharmacy counters. Earlier this year, Cantwell worked with her colleagues to include the Combat Meth Act and other anti-meth measures in legislation to re-authorize the Patriot Act. The Combat Meth Act restricts the sale of products used to produce meth, provides funds to help those affected by meth use, and gives new tools to states, law enforcement, and prosecutors working to combat meth. Cantwell has sponsored the Arrest Methamphetamine Act to curb meth trafficking across the U.S.-Canada border, as well as legislation to investigate the link between meth crimes and other criminal activity such as identity theft.

For more information on Meth Awareness Day, visit the new meth awareness website set up by the Department of Health and Human Services.

###