Combating the Meth Scourge

This week, I participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing to address the methamphetamine scourge in our state and Nation. The hearing, entitled “Breaking the Methamphetamine Supply Chain: Meeting Challenges at the Border,” was designed to gather testimony from industry and federal officials about progress made in combating the distribution chains of chemicals used for methamphetamine production worldwide. During the hearing, my fellow members of the Finance Committee and I also assessed the effectiveness of current strategies used by law enforcement agencies to combat the methamphetamine trade and associated money laundering activities, with the goal of identifying whether additional legislation is needed to bring us a step closer towards breaking the methamphetamine supply chain.

Below is an excerpt from a speech I delivered at the outset of yesterday’s Finance Committee hearing:

“…Combating drug usage in Colorado was one of my top priorities as Attorney General, and it remains a top priority as a U.S. Senator. It will come as no surprise to many of my colleagues who represent rural states that meth use has grown rapidly over the last decade in Colorado, particularly in rural areas of my State…

“I was an original cosponsor of the Combat Meth Act last Congress, which has had a noticeable impact on meth production in Colorado. This legislation has been extremely successful in limiting access to the ingredients that go into meth, and, as a result, we have seen a significant reduction in the number of domestic meth labs.

“Despite these successes, the war against meth is far from over. Demand for meth remains strong and rural communities continue to be affected. Meth usage is still cited by many of the County Sheriffs around Colorado as the number one challenge they face, especially those that work in rural areas in the Northwest, Southwest and Southeast portions of the State.

“In order to adequately equip our law enforcement officers in the ever-changing fight against meth, I have long supported fully funding HIDTA – The High Intensity Drug Task Forces – that help federal, State and local law enforcement officials target areas where meth usage is most prevalent. I have also worked hard to secure funding to help state and local drug task forces combat meth throughout Colorado.

“We also need to think about whether new strategies are needed as we work to decrease demand for the drug, make it harder for people to obtain the ingredients they need to produce meth, and protect our borders against illegal smuggling…”

The fight to keep methamphetamine users and dealers out of our communities is a long and difficult one. If we are to prevail, local and State law enforcement officials must have the resources necessary to effectively combat this scourge. As a member of the United States Senate and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have made the timely provision of these resources a top priority.

I look forward to updating you on this matter soon.

Sincerely,

Ken Salazar
United States Senator