President Bush has been moving money from fighting drugs to fighting terrorism. That's beginning to hurt funding in middle America where local police are overwhelmed with the home-grown meth crisis.
Meth -- short for methamphetamine -- is sweeping through rural communities, swamping police and health resources. It's beginning to reach the northeast -- New Jersey police recently found the first meth lab in that state since the 1970s. Meth drug is cheap and easy to make. It fuels crime and causes severe health problems.
Meth -- short for methamphetamine -- is sweeping through rural communities, swamping police and health resources. It's beginning to reach the northeast -- New Jersey police recently found the first meth lab in that state since the 1970s. Meth drug is cheap and easy to make. It fuels crime and causes severe health problems.
"The problem has grown faster than the money chasing the problem."
--Rep Ken Calvert (R-CA) to the LA Times
Rural state lawmakers have banded together in a "Meth Caucus" to present a united front against taking federal resources away from that fight. They currently want $10 million in anti-drug aid restored to their states.
Overall, the Bush administration tried to cut or kill 5 anti-drug programs -- freeing up and extra $1.6 billion for anti-terror efforts. (LATimes)
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