III
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 366
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
November 5, 2007
Mr. Baucus (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Corker, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Graham, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Levin, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Conrad, Mrs. Dole, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Allard, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Nelson of Nebraska, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Durbin, and Mr. Hagel) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
November 15, 2007
Reported by Mr. Leahy, without amendment
November 16, 2007
Considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating November 2007 as
National Methamphetamine Awareness Month
, to increase awareness
of methamphetamine abuse.
Whereas methamphetamine, an easily manufactured drug of the amphetamine group, is a powerful and addictive central nervous system stimulant with long-lasting effects;
Whereas the National Association of Counties found that methamphetamine is the number 1 illegal drug problem for 47 percent of the counties in the United States, a higher percentage than that of any other drug;
Whereas 4 out of 5 county sheriffs report that, while local methamphetamine production is down, methamphetamine abuse is not (1/2 of the Nation’s sheriffs report abuse of the drug has stayed the same and nearly 1/3 say that it has increased);
Whereas the highest rates of methamphetamine use among all ethnic groups occur within Native American communities;
Whereas the consequence of methamphetamine use by many young adults in the Native American community has been death, including methamphetamine-related suicides;
Whereas crime related to methamphetamine abuse continues to increase, with 55 percent of sheriffs reporting increases in robberies and burglaries during the last year;
Whereas most illegal methamphetamine available in the United States is produced in large clandestine laboratories in Mexico and smuggled into this country;
Whereas methamphetamine labs are costly to clean up in that every pound of methamphetamine produced can yield up to 5 pounds of toxic waste, representing a public danger to adults and children;
Whereas the profile of methamphetamine users is changing, as 3/5 of the Nation’s sheriffs report increased methamphetamine use by women and 1/2 of the Nation’s sheriffs report increased use by teens;
Whereas, in surveys on the abuse of methamphetamine among teens, many of the respondents said that the drug was easy to get and believed there is little risk in trying it;
Whereas other National Association of Counties surveys have shown that methamphetamine also places significant burdens on local social service and health care resources, increasing out-of-home placements for children, sending more people to public hospital emergency rooms than any other drug, and producing an ever-growing need for methamphetamine treatment programs; and
Whereas the establishment of a National Methamphetamine Awareness month would increase awareness of methamphetamine and educate the public on effective ways to help prevent methamphetamine use at the Federal, State, and local levels: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
designates
November 2007 as National Methamphetamine Awareness Month
to
increase awareness of methamphetamine abuse; and
encourages the people of the United States and interested groups to observe National Methamphetamine Awareness Month with appropriate educational programs and outreach activities.