Norman D. Dicks: “the rapid growth in the production and use of methamphetamine is very serious problem that requires the full attention…”

“the rapid growth in the production and use of methamphetamine is very serious problem that requires the full attention of Congress. In the State of Washington and in my Congressional district in particular, meth has rapidly become the drug of choice. The police chiefs and sheriffs in my district tell me that the percentage of criminals that are also meth users has grown astronomically over that last ten years, and now it is the most frequently used drug by both violent and non-violent offenders. This drug is highly addictive and easy to make. As most of my colleagues are aware, meth can be made with instructions that can be found on the internet and using ingredients and equipment that can be purchased over-the-counter in virtually any community. Congress must do more, in my opinion, to fight this growing menace. The by-products of methamphetamine production are highly toxic and can linger at the point of production long after the equipment and drugs have been taken away. These by-products, even in small amounts, can irritate, burn or even kill individuals coming across a lab site well after the drug producers have gone. As a result, state and local agencies often must take extreme measures to remove all traces of toxicity from a lab site.…”