strongernow
06-25-2004, 10:40 AM
Lawmakers to study meth epidemic
06/24/04
Eric Beavers
State Rep. Barbara Massey Reece says she plans to pitch ideas to tackle the methamphetamine epidemic next week to colleagues.
Reece, D-Menlo, has several ideas and questions about meth and new legislation to stem the tide. She will meet with four state House delegates Wednesday in Summerville to investigate the methamphetamine problem in Georgia.
“Meth is probably the biggest problem we’ve ever encountered as far as drugs are concerned,” Reece said. "It seems that our area of the state is heavily involved in this, more so than the rest of the state."
Reece said she is spearheading the effort because the state does not have a clear process for decontaminating sites of meth labs and because of the other problems associated with the drug.
State House Reps. Howard Mosby, D-Atlanta, and David Graves, R-Macon, are on the Health and Human Services Committee. Reece said Graves, a pharmacist, is concerned about the easy access drug makers have to the ingredients.
Curtis Jenkins, D-Forsyth, is chairman of the Special Judiciary Committee. Mike Snow, D-Chickamauga, is Public Safety chairman, and Reece is vice-chair Education Committee and chairs the Corrections Subcommittee.
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“Hopefully, we’ll come out with some ideas of what communities are doing that is working and be able to pull the various departments together,” Reece said. “There is a lot going on to combat this problem, but there is no statewide organized effort with all departments involved.”
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The methamphetamine study committee meeting is open to the public. It is Wednesday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Chattooga County Civic Center in Summerville.
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“Meth is the most terrible scourge on society in our part of the world,” Snow said. “The home of this business, unfortunately, is the counties of Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. It’s corrupting families and endangering children’s lives.
"We’ve tried to tighten up the laws and sentencing on these people, but it doesn’t seem to be working,” he said. “We’ve got to get a real grasp of what’s going on here. Some of the laws that we have are not combating it.”
The Walker Sheriff’s Department, Department of Family and Children Services and Lookout Mountain Drug Task Force are among the local agencies planning to present information to the study committee, Reece said, adding she invited representatives from all the Northwest Georgia counties.
“We’ve got a lot of folks in prison now because of this problem,” she said. “We even have problems with the backlog at the crime lab. Toxicology tests are not able to be returned right away.”
Wednesday will mark the first of four meetings to be held around the state, Reece said. Gov. Sonny Perdue is planning an August meth conference in Atlanta.
06/24/04
Eric Beavers
State Rep. Barbara Massey Reece says she plans to pitch ideas to tackle the methamphetamine epidemic next week to colleagues.
Reece, D-Menlo, has several ideas and questions about meth and new legislation to stem the tide. She will meet with four state House delegates Wednesday in Summerville to investigate the methamphetamine problem in Georgia.
“Meth is probably the biggest problem we’ve ever encountered as far as drugs are concerned,” Reece said. "It seems that our area of the state is heavily involved in this, more so than the rest of the state."
Reece said she is spearheading the effort because the state does not have a clear process for decontaminating sites of meth labs and because of the other problems associated with the drug.
State House Reps. Howard Mosby, D-Atlanta, and David Graves, R-Macon, are on the Health and Human Services Committee. Reece said Graves, a pharmacist, is concerned about the easy access drug makers have to the ingredients.
Curtis Jenkins, D-Forsyth, is chairman of the Special Judiciary Committee. Mike Snow, D-Chickamauga, is Public Safety chairman, and Reece is vice-chair Education Committee and chairs the Corrections Subcommittee.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get all the local news with a subscription to the Walker County Messenger. To subscribe CLICK HERE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hopefully, we’ll come out with some ideas of what communities are doing that is working and be able to pull the various departments together,” Reece said. “There is a lot going on to combat this problem, but there is no statewide organized effort with all departments involved.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The methamphetamine study committee meeting is open to the public. It is Wednesday, June 30, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Chattooga County Civic Center in Summerville.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Meth is the most terrible scourge on society in our part of the world,” Snow said. “The home of this business, unfortunately, is the counties of Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. It’s corrupting families and endangering children’s lives.
"We’ve tried to tighten up the laws and sentencing on these people, but it doesn’t seem to be working,” he said. “We’ve got to get a real grasp of what’s going on here. Some of the laws that we have are not combating it.”
The Walker Sheriff’s Department, Department of Family and Children Services and Lookout Mountain Drug Task Force are among the local agencies planning to present information to the study committee, Reece said, adding she invited representatives from all the Northwest Georgia counties.
“We’ve got a lot of folks in prison now because of this problem,” she said. “We even have problems with the backlog at the crime lab. Toxicology tests are not able to be returned right away.”
Wednesday will mark the first of four meetings to be held around the state, Reece said. Gov. Sonny Perdue is planning an August meth conference in Atlanta.