A resolution designating November 2008 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 reported in 2007 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 (the National Association of Counties found that 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 sheriffs report increases in crime directly related to the presence of methamphetamine in their communities;

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