Governor asks meth task force for ‘down to earth’ answers
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Governor’s Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse began looking for ways Tuesday to deal with what Gov. Phil Bredesen called a scourge on the state.
The broadly constituted 20-member task force will report to Bredesen by Sept. 1.
“The bottom line is we’ve got a serious problem on our hands,” Bredesen told the group. “What I’m looking for is some down to earth, straightforward things we can do to begin tackling this problem. I’m not asking you to solve all the world’s problems with meth. There has to be some knowledge of specific things we can do that will have some effect.”
Meth has already caused about 700 children to be in state custody because their parents or guardians were arrested for dealing with the drug.
“That has to be extraordinarily expensive, but forget the expense,” Bredesen said. “Just look at the number of lives. These are innocents, these children. I get more concerned about that. Many of these lives will be ruined and we need to deal with it.”
The task force was told by DEA agent Harry Summers, a veteran of more than 20 years in the anti-drug business, that methamphetamine is the most addictive drug he has ever seen.
Largely an urban phenomenon on the west coast since the 1960s, the drug has expanded rapidly into rural areas in recent years. It can be made cheaply from common household products, Summers said, meaning it is more likely to come from small, clandestine laboratories that make it a much different target from drugs that are imported by large organizations.
“Clandestine labs are in some ways worse for us,” Summers said.
Bredesen said he didn’t want to wait until next year to do something, and announced Tuesday the administration is attempting to increase the penalties for dealing methamphetamine to align them with the penalties for dealing crack or powdered cocaine.
The proposal is to make possession of meth with intent to distribute or sell a Class B felony, up from a Class C felony. The penalty would rise to eight to 30 years in prison, instead of three to 15.
“The fact is we’re looking at a clear and present danger,” Bredesen said. “Right now the penalties for meth do not rise to the same level as crack or cocaine. I think that ought to change.”
The change would mean stiffer penalties for an estimated 160 people per year. The cost of those lengthened incarcerations, an estimated $3 million to $4 million a year, will be included in his supplemental budget appropriation for next year, Bredesen said.
“We have a little extra money we can use to take care of some problems with, and I’d feel awfully silly if we didn’t step up and take care of it this year,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
The chairman of the task force is Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens, a former state representative from Hawkins County. Bredesen also made nine other cabinet members available to aid the task force on an ex officio basis.
The task force established four working groups to look into various approaches to the problem. Its next meeting is scheduled for May 10 in Cleveland.