Denny Rehberg: “in light of the distressing statistics regarding the Office of National Drug Control Policy's National Youth Media…”

“in light of the distressing statistics regarding the Office of National Drug Control Policy's National Youth Media Campaign, and its subsequent reduction within our committee, I rise today to let my colleagues know that it is possible to design, implement and evaluate youth anti-drug marketing. Methamphetamine is a real problem across this great Nation, and no State is immune to its horrible effects. Montana ranks among the top 10 States nationally in per capita treatment admissions for methamphetamine use. The statistics in Montana are truly staggering. Fifty-two percent of the children who are placed in out-of-home care are there because of meth. Fifty percent of adults incarcerated at State prisons are there due to meth. Twenty percent of Montanans in addiction treatment are there because of meth. While many people would simply nod their heads and agree this is a terrible problem, some good people in Montana have taken it upon themselves to do something about it. Tom Siebel, who lives in Wolf Creek, is an outstanding Montanan who did something that many of us could not do. He decided to use his own money to fund a prevention campaign to help raise awareness about the dangers of first time methamphetamine use.”