WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) today praised the inclusion of the Combat Meth Epidemic Act of 2005 in the Patriot Act Conference Report at a joint press conference with law enforcement professionals. The senators were joined by representatives from both law enforcement and the legal community, including the Fraternal Order of Police, Maryland State Police Troopers and the National District Attorneys Association.

“I heard many stories of meth’s terrible impact on our communities when I traveled across Tennessee in August, and I have worked hard as Majority Leader to combat this issue,” Frist said.  “Meth use affects us all by overwhelming social services, draining law enforcement resources and shredding the social fabric of communities across the country.  That’s why I’m proud to support this bold legislation that will help halt the spread of this vicious poison.  We must attack illicit drug use at its source and this legislation will help by keeping the ingredients used to make meth out of the hands of drug users.”

“The Combat Meth Act is the toughest anti-meth bill ever considered by the Congress and it will help people in neighborhoods all across Missouri and the country who are threatened by meth,” said Talent.  “I want to thank all of the law enforcement officials who have been working with us to enact this legislation.  Our bill will make it harder for dishonest people to get the ingredients they need to make meth, while ensuring honest people can access the medicine they need.  The Senate, to its great credit, passed our bill unanimously.  That on its own shows the power of the idea.”

“This nation’s methamphetamine problem has mushroomed into a national epidemic over the past decade,” said Feinstein.  “Meth is in large states and small states, rural areas and cities, it affects the wealthy and the poor.  But that’s why this bill is so important.  The heart of this legislation is a strong standard for keeping pseudoephedrine products out of the hands of meth cooks. We know this approach works – in Oklahoma there was an immediate 80 percent drop in meth labs seized.  It is a good, tough bill that strikes the right balance and will give law enforcement the tools they need to confront the epidemic.”

"The Combat Meth Epidemic Act, addresses growing methamphetamine problem by providing new resources and tools to aid law enforcement in its fight against the this drug epidemic," said ChuckCanterbury, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police. "We are very pleased that Senate leaders like Senators Frist, Talent, and Feinstein, stayed the course and fought to have this legislation included in the conference report on the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. I urge all Members of the Senate to vote in support of the conference and get it to the President before the end of the year."

“The National District Attorneys Association most strongly endorses and supports the Combat Meth Epidemic Act,” said Paul Logli, President of the National District Attorneys Association.  “We have long expressed serious concerns over the growing methamphetamine abuse problem in this country. The Combat Meth Epidemic Act provides the resources and controls on precursor chemicals that are desperately needed as a means for a national solution to this scourge.”

The Patriot Act Conference Report includes provisions cosponsored by Frist, Talent and Feinstein that restricts the sale of over-the-counter cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine which is used to manufacture methamphetamine. The legislation does not preempt current state laws restricting access to methamphetamine ingredients.  It simply requires states that have not acted to do so.

Manufacturing methamphetamine using legal ingredients can be done easily within a home, but each pound of the drug leaves behind five to six pounds of toxic waste.  The cost of a single methamphetamine lab cleanup ranges from $2,000 to $10,000.

The methamphetamine provision is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, National District Attorneys Association, National Attorneys General Association, National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies, National Narcotics Officers’ Associations Coalition, National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs Association, NAADAC - The Association for Addiction Professionals, Therapeutic Communities of America and Kids Hope United.

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