Join the community campaign against crystal meth

[Crystal Meth Task Force]

Crystal Meth stories and links . . .

Join Turtle Island's (North America) community campaign against drugs - crystal meth . . .
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Resources . . .
http://www.nechinook.com/item%20list/resources/free/crystal_meth.pdf
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METH PREVENTION
COOKBOOK
“RECIPES FOR COMMUNITY SAFETY”
http://www.crystalmethbc.ca/modules.php?name=CM_Taskforce&wv_goto=training_materials
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Help fight meth abuse in Indian Country . . .
http://www.methresources.dreamhosters.com/wp/?p=47
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http://www.adac.bigcartel.com/product/crystal-meth-comic
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Protecting children at risk from crystal meth labs
Manitoba
April 2007
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=8183#p8183

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BC and Alberta Governments
Crystal Meth
ACTION!
September/October 2006
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=7627#p7627

CrystalMeth BC
http://www.crystalmethbc.ca/
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Major Dent Made in Meth Menace in Indian Country

August 2006
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=7343#p7343

May 2006
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=7038#p7038

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Meth Closer Than You Think
METH Awareness And Prevention Project of South Dakota
http://www.mappsd.org/

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Montana Meth Project
http://www.montanameth.org/

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Burning ceremony held as Lummi Nation destroys drug house to cleanse ground and heal community . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/healing/healing-lummi.htm

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Methamphetamine Prevention . . .

"Many meth labs are operating on Indian lands across the country, where they are contaminating individual properties and the environment at large, endangering children, and putting law enforcement, firefighters, and the general community at risk."

Cherokee children play games to fight drugs . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/viewtopic.php?p=6403#p6403

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Crystal Meth Became More Important Than Anything - Including My Life
by Tala Tootoosis . . .
Part Three
http://www.nativeyouthmagazine.com/prof ... 8&pfid=134

Part Two
http://www.nativeyouthmagazine.com/prof ... 8&pfid=131

Part One
http://www.nativeyouthmagazine.com/prof ... 8&pfid=123

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It is Not just an urban problem
Mothers Opposed to Meth (MAM) . . .
http://www.mamasite.net

Upper Moenkopi Village MAM
Yvonne Hoosava
P.O. Box 595
Tuba City, AZ, 86045
928-283-6231
928-283-8052

Area of Emphasis: Support group for parents of meth users

Chapter Information: The Upper Village of Moenkopi, is located on the Hopi Indian Reservation located 72 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona and we have many Meth users on the Hopi and Navajo Reservation with documented deaths attributed to Meth. Many of our teens and adults live with aging grandparents and they do not know what Meth is, therefore, we need to educate our Seniors of the devastating effects of Meth Addiction and also parents who do not know how to cope with this drug.

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Meth in Indian Country
September 2005
NOTE: This is an AUDIO file . . .
http://nativecalling.org/archives/2005/sep/09292005.ram

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Meth use in Indian Country
http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/ MCH/M/documents/MethDisc42605.doc

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Targeting Meth On The Rez . . .
http://www.gallupindependent.com/2005/s ... dsmth.html

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Resources
http://www.mamasite.net/catalog/product ... ucts_id=71
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Federal funds help First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada prevent crystal meth use and abuse . . . viewtopic.php?p=6085#6085

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Crystal Meth Magazine . . .
"Some say it's great, but it's really your worst nightmare. With meth, you're on a roller coaster ride — feeling on top of the world at first — and then, like all roller coasters, there's a big comedown. With meth, you put your future behind you." http://www.justthinktwice.com/gotmeth/home.html

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The documentary film "G" Methamphetamine on the Navajo Nation won "Best Public Service" in 2004 at the 29th Annual American Indian Film Festival http://www.aifisf.com

WATCH AND LISTEN HERE
The film "G" Methamphetamine on the Navajo Nation

Windows Media Player 9 and a high speed internet connection is highly recommended.

Part One - Gail's Story
http://www.sheapheadfilms.com/part01.wmv

Part Two - Officer Greg Adair
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part02.wmv

Part Three - Norman's Story
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part03.wmv

Part Four - Dr. Thomas Drouhard
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part04.wmv

Part Five - Micki's Story
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part05.wmv

Part Six - Clifford's Story
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part06.wmv

Part Seven - Telena's Story
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part07.wmv

Part Eight - Terrance's Story
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part08.wmv

Part Nine - Navajo Nation Vice President Frank Dayish Jr.
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part09.wmv

Part Ten - Credits
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/part10.wmv

Methamphetamine Radio PSA's

Billy Crawley III from Ethnic Degeneration
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/psa_01.mp3

Navajo Language
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/psa_02.mp3

From Recovering Addicts
http://www.sheepheadfilms.com/psa_03.mp3

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Posted on Turtle Island Native Network with the permission of the author

Mon, 28-Nov-2005 10:08 PM
METH, SEX & THE REZ
ANDREW CATT-IRON SHELL

The reservation party scene has become more complex over the generations. In our more traditional times, a party in Indian country was based on a celebration of spirituality and community. A time to exploit the beauty of the life force around us, a time to give thanks. In this time of
innocence, we did not need stimulants to produce good feelings and good times.

As indigenous populations became and become more of an endangered
species, the party circuit rages on but on a very different end of the
spectrum. Natives still come together to visit, share war stories, and
snag.

From ancestral times to contemporary times, the party scene in Indian country has gone from gatherings of celebration to predominately a
gathering to ease the pains of intergenerational trauma and daily hardship.

Since its introduction to indigenous populations, alcohol has become the
Native gateway drug to harder substances. In the 60’s, although thought
to be isolated, we experienced the psychedelic drug craze via migrating
Native urbanites and our returning servicemen and woman. We were
introduced to the world of synthetic drugs, heroin, cocaine, and of
course cannabis which continues to be very popular.

It is common knowledge in Indian country how the party life has affected
our Nations. It has numbed the assimilation process which all Natives are
born into. It has maimed and killed, it has created a slow and systematic
death drawing even those that don’t abuse alcohol or drugs into its agony.

The use of alcohol abuse is visibly and statistically rampant in Indian
country. Sadly, at times we seem to have become desensitized or
complacent in addressing the overwhelming challenges we face in helping
our people. Because of this, we have not really noticed that crystal meth
is becoming a greater problem than all our intergenerational addictions
combined.

Our breakdown of family structure, traditional mentality and spirituality
has been overwhelmingly and negatively influenced by alcoholism and
substance abuse. This is nothing compared to what meth has to offer. Meth
is a large contributing factor to the AIDS epidemic in the United States.
Nicely said, when someone takes meth it usually results in a very sharp
increase in sexual appetite.

With lowered inhibitions it is not uncommon that we are finding users utilizing multiple sex partners while on meth and not considering any precautions towards sexual safety. One young girl I spoke with says “I have unsafe sex while on crystal, I think I was lonely, bored and meth gets me close to guys I like and makes me closer to them.” The result of these behaviors is an increase in unintended teen pregnancy, domestic violence, criminal activity, sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and the continued erosion of the positives in our Tribal communities. We are finding house parties where the menu consists of meth only, and sex for as long as possible and with as many people as possible. When I asked why they choose that drug over alcohol, the answer was that meth is more accessible than alcohol and more of an intense high than marijuana.

The reservation party circuit is a complex place. For every sad story of
substance abuse and self-destruction there are many more stories of
lasting friendship and richly satisfying experiences. Our people are
gathering for more than just the high. It is a jaded form of a healing
process.

Life in Indian country is hard and we’ve spent so much energy just trying to stay Native and stay alive that many of our people don’t have the coping skills needed to deal with the complex issues we are born into. No one is going to stop their party life until they are ready to do so. It is not time to condemn those who won’t or can’t stop but it is our collective responsibility to provide a means for those who do want to walk a different path in life. For those who continue to party, it’s time for them to take ownership of the health issues associated with the party scene.

Consider moderation, use bleach kits, use condoms, wear seatbelts, respect self and those around you. Some are things we should all be doing but it’s very important for those that choose high risk behaviors to take notice. Long-term methamphetamine abuse commonly results in paranoia, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, unhealthy weight loss and insomnia and even a painful death.

One troubling issue to note consists of meth smokers graduating to
injection users. It is becoming alarming common to see our Native youth
injecting drugs before their old enough to experience their first prom.
Some meth injectors are stealing syringes from diabetic family members
and may not be using proper safety precautions to avoid Hepatitis C or
HIV. Some who get their needles in this manner are secretly returning the
needles thus placing our diabetics in grave danger.

With the majority of new HIV infections happening in women and young
people 15 – 24 years old, we must learn what personal actions we may be
doing that would put us at risk for HIV/AIDS, Hep C and addiction itself.
We all need a break from the everyday challenges now and than but I don’t think any of us start out wanting to destroy ourselves or contribute to the genocide of our Native populations. We as Native people have an
obligation to rekindle our tradition of helping one another. I’m not
saying we should be a snitch or a preacher but be compassionate and use
the power of peer pressure, wisdom and caring to support one another in
positive ways.

This is the only way we are going to succeed in meeting the many health challenges that our great Native Nations face everyday. There is help in our local health systems to help those who want to address their substance abuse issues. There is support for those who want to help someone else. Give yourself permission to make the effort. The life force of Indian country may depend on it.

Andrew Iron Shell is a Community Health Representative for the Sicangu
Lakota Nation in South Dakota. He can be reached at igmu49@hotmail.com

Post on Turtle Island Native network with permission from the author

SACRED CHILDREN OF THE ICE AGE/ METH AND THE LAKOTA NATION
By Andrew Catt-Iron Shell
STD/HIV Prevention Coordinator-Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Office of Minority Health-Capacity Building Advisory Board Task Force Member

All of my life, I was told by our elders that our children are sacred. As a parent I am shown daily that this statement is true. Sacred more so for
the Native American as our newborns represent a light out of the darkness
some refer to as the on-going Native American holocaust.

Like the thousands of turtles, when born that scurry up the sandy beaches
towards safety, our children are under attack from the predators of our
environment. For today’s newborn, a new and deadly predator called ice,
crystal, speed, crank, is disrupting their quest for life even before their first breath.

In some Native communities these drugs are knocking on the door. For
others it already has a strangle hold. In the true spirit of the trickster, it is cunning, baffling, attacking first what is most precious to our children …. their parents.

Crystal meth in our Tribal communities is a symptom of great social
challenges. It is a symptom of great personal struggles. It is a symptom
of the assimilation process. Acknowledging this new challenge is the
first step towards healing.

No mater what drug of choice is abused, 95% of both men and women abuse drugs and alcohol to cover memories, pain and anger of a traumatic past. For Native Americans this includes but by no means is limited to,
inter-generational, physical and sexual abuse. Alcohol, drugs and
irresponsible sexual behavior are a temporary and potentially deadly
distraction from the realitities of poverty, low self esteem and lack of
opportunity that is common in many Tribal populations.

America likes things bigger, faster, and cheaper. Meth fits these criteria well. It has the potential to be a larger problem than all other substance abuse issues combined. Meth pushes the body into a jaded adrenaline rush, numbing the brain, unnaturally hammering the heart and weakening blood vessels. Thus, as a whole, diminishing the strength of our immune system. On a community level, meth creates social problems at a much faster rate than the dysfunctions of alcoholism.

It is often cheaper with an intense high more deadly than that of other substances we commonly abuse. The high is never as intense as it is at first use. In spite of this, users battle to relive the initial intensity by using more of the drug. Imagine a years worth of life being wiped out in a few weeks time. That is the toll meth can have on the body and in the erosion
of our communities.

There are more and more cases within our Tribal health systems of infants
being born with the affects of meth in their bodies. Our babies are not
born truly addicted as the drug clears out of the system within three
days, but the toxic effects may last throughout a lifetime. One study is
showing that for every twenty minutes the mother is high, the fetus feels
the effects for 72 hours.

The medical effects of babies being born exposed to meth are just now being studied. Thus the long term impact is not yet visible. What is seen is that mothers who use meth even moderately during pregnancy can in extreme cases trigger strokes or brain hemorrhages in the infant before birth.

Risk to the embryo and fetus during pregnancy can occur both in the production and use of meth. Many of the toxins used in making meth can cause malformation of an embryo and result in congenital defects and stillbirth. Meth use during pregnancy can increase maternal blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of premature delivery or spontaneous abortion. Meth also constricts blood flow to the fetus, and, thereby, a reduced oxygen and nutrient supply. Meth passes through the placenta and can cause elevated fetal damage to the heart or other major organs.

Generally, most studies to date have shown that infants exposed to marijuana, cocaine, and/or opiates increases the risk that exposed infants will be born prematurely, weigh less, have smaller heads, and be shorter than unexposed infants. Birth outcomes are thought to improve if the mother stops using meth in the last one to three months of the pregnancy. Total abstinence of illegal drugs is best for positive outcomes.

Meth-exposed babies commonly act like their drug-affected parents; they
are jittery, irritable and not able to handle much stimulus. Meth exposed
infants do not like to be touched. The aversion to touch can typically
last until a child is 3 to 4, but may continue. Meth exposed infants have
been known to sleep 23 hours a day. Many exhibit rapid breathing and have
trouble swallowing and sucking. In the first 12 to 24 hours after birth
some may seizure, and in the first month they may develop serious heart
and respiratory problems. Some symptoms mimic asthma making the infant
more prone to illness such as pneumonia. Depending on the amount of meth
exposure during pregnancy, some infants do need treatment for withdrawal.
Infants exposed to meth prior to birth have reduced immune systems
increasing their risk for SIDS, viral hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS.

The methamphetamine risk to our Native American children can be two-fold.
The prenatal exposure is only one avenue. Children that live in an
environment where meth use and/or meth manufacturing is present are also
in grave danger. In homes where meth is being used, children are not the
priority. Because of the amount of money that abusers utilize to keep
their habit going, many children are going without their basic needs. It
may also be common for the roles to be reversed where the children end up
parenting their younger siblings. Children may be exposed to the harmful
chemicals in processing and smoking of meth which will soak into walls
and carpeting. This could lead to ingestion of the drug into the body
through contact with the chemical residue of the drug. For individuals
injecting the drug, children may have access to syringes which is an
avenue to contract not only the drug but hepatitis and HIV. Children
being raised in “meth homes” can become targets for abuse by parents and
parent’s friends. Meth users may tend to be paranoid and agitated. Normal
child activity can appear threatening to someone high on meth.

It is worthy to note that meth use can turn to addiction in a very short
time. It is common for users to graduate from smoking meth to shooting
meth through intravenous drug use. Meth addiction can lead to the
stealing of syringes from our diabetic patients. Often these needles are
replaced so that the user is not caught stealing thus placing our
diabetic Tribal members at grave risk for exposure to meth, hepatitis C
and HIV/AIDS.

The extreme rates of sexually transmitted disease, soaring unintended
pregnancy rates and pre-existing substance abuse issues within our Tribes
are just tips of the ice burg. Methamphetamine use and its potential
risk to our Native populations is a very serious and growing threat.
Tribal Nations and families need to be proactive, creative and aggressive
in addressing this new challenge. If we fail to act now, we will lose the
most precious resource our Tribal Nations hold……our people.

“National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness DAY:
One South Dakota Perspective”

Published on Turtle Island Native Network with the permission of
Andrew Catt-Iron Shell

March 10, 2006 marks the first annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS
Awareness Day. Acknowledging the risk to women and girls is very fitting
when speaking to this preventable disease within American Indian
communities. This day, hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is set to raise awareness on the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS transmission on women and girls.

In 2005, women represented 30% of new HIV infections in the United
States. These national statistics highlight that many of these newly
infected are young women and girls and most are members of minority
communities. The majority of our vibrant American Indian population in
South Dakota are female. In South Dakota, American Indians account for 9% of the overall State population while accounting for 15% of all known
HIV/AIDS infections.

In 2002, American Indians in the Crazy Horse Monument State accounted for 46% of reported chlamydia cases and 48% of gonorrhea cases. Sexually transmitted disease rates are one prime indicator of high-risk sexual activity.

Ten years ago there were approximately 15 million Americans infected with a sexually transmitted disease. Currently, there are an estimated 19 million new cases of STD’s each year in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Indians have the third highest rate of HIV/AIDS cases in the Nation. The CDC has
reported that there are more than one million Americans living with the
chronic disease of HIV/AIDS. Of those, American Indians and Alaska
Natives represent 2,300 known individuals.

Due to low testing rates for HIV/AIDS in Indian country, the infection rates in these populations are thought to be much greater than what is statistically visible.

The State of South Dakota reports an alarming increase in current
HIV/AIDS infections rates due in part to people utilizing the Internet to
meet perspective sexual partners. This increases the threat of sexual
predators to our women and girls as many who hook up on the Internet do
not take into consideration the sexual history of those they may encounter.

There are differences to examine on the issues of HIV/AIDS between men
and women. Some are physiological and some are social. Women have a much higher biological risk than men for contracting HIV through heterosexual intercourse. In the United States, AIDS-related deaths among women was estimated to have declined by 35%, while it declined by 64% among men.

In speaking to HIV/AIDS in the context of American Indian populations,
one must go beyond the disease, beyond the mortality rates and examine
the high-risk lifestyles that may lead one to a path for infection. These
high-risk behaviors are often and dangerously thought of as being
acceptable in the harsh environment found in many Tribal communities.

Substance abuse, poverty, intergenerational trauma, and lowered self
esteem issues often lead many in Indian country into not seeing the road
they may be on that leads to HIV/AIDS infection. An example, many do not
see that when you have intercourse with anyone, you are basically
sleeping with everyone your partner has ever had sexual relations with.
Experts agree that sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS are not
on the radar screen of many American Indians.

The greatest challenge is educating the public to the risks associated
with acquiring an STD and getting them into a medical facility for
treatment. American Indian women tend to access health care much more
frequently than men. In turn, women may receive treatment for an STD but become re-infected due to lack of treatment for their intimate partners.
For many American Indians women in South Dakota, sexual safety is placed on the back burner to more imposing issues such as trying to meet one’s daily need for food, safe shelter and the basic necessities of the family.

For native women, there are more obvious variables that could lead to an
HIV/AIDS infection than their Caucasian counterpart. Native women
experience much higher rates of domestic violence and sexual assaults
than mainstream Americans.

These issues keep many women from having the ability to address their own sexual health and safety. They may not be able to negotiate such things as condom use when they live day-to-day in an abusive environment.

The chances for native women to re-experience violence during their lifetime is double, even triple in some tribal communities compared to women of other ethnicities. South Dakota leads all States in the number of criminal investigations in Indian country, with Arizona second and New Mexico a close third. The most common of these investigations involve simple assault, aggravated assault, robbery, rape and sexual molestation. These acts of physical and sexually violence are not isolated to AI/AN females, but are disproportionably high for native children and elders as well.

Beyond the complex social and cultural challenges that American Indians
face in HIV/AIDS prevention, there is a new and imposing threat. Crystal
methamphetamine is becoming an extremely volatile issue in the daily
lives of our tribal communities. It expedites the decline of the contemporary Native family and social structures. Methamphetamine users tend to graduate to intravenous drug usage, thus increasing the risk of sharing needles contaminated with the HIV virus or hepatitis C.

Individuals with substance abuse issues do not tend to practice sexually
safety and this contributes to high, unintended pregnancy rates and high
STD rates within tribal populations. Sadly, it is no longer uncommon to
see a young mother neglect prenatal care or deliver her child while under
the influence of crystal meth. Many native women see crystal meth as a
means of losing weight or to be part of the “in” crowd in harsh
reservation environments. Often, they see the highly addictive nature of
this drug only after it has torn apart their health and lives.

Women may not always see the negative affect that alcohol and drugs have on their husbands or boyfriends. Methamphetamine abuse among men are creating instances of men who don’t identify themselves as bisexual, acting out high risk sexual activity with other men while under the influence of this drug. These men who may engage these activities on the down low are at the greatest risk for HIV/AIDS as men who have sexual contact with men are at the highest risk for infection with intravenous drug users a close second.

The risk for HIV/AIDS among women and girls grows daily. The best way to protect the life force of our future generations is through education and
helping our native women to have the skills, resources and support
systems to address their reproductive health.

The Indian Health Service and the South Dakota Department of Health offer free and confidential testing for sexually transmitted disease. They are also great resources in getting the facts about HIV/AIDS and sexual
safety or find more information on the web at http://www.womenshealth.gov.

There is no excuse not to be educated to this 100% preventable disease.
If you are sexually active at any age, show yourself the ultimate in self
respect and get tested for HIV/AIDS. Show your partner that much more
love and respect by getting tested together.

Andrew Catt-Iron Shell serves as STD/HIV Prevention Coordinator for the
Rosebud Sioux Tribe CHR Program and as an HIV/AIDS advisory board member to the Office of Minority Health Resource Center. He can be reached at
igmu49@hotmail.com

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Inner City Aboriginal Society
http://members.shaw.ca/ICAS1
935 PANDORA AVENUE,
VICTORIA, BC,
V8V 3P1
PH: 250-388-3824
FX: 250-385-2372
E-MAIL: icas1@shaw.ca

Crystal Meth Victoria Society

Aboriginal Liaison Committee

GOAL:

To work together with Families, At-Risk Youth, Youth, communities (rural, remote, urban), Leaders, and Councils in incorporating pro-active strategies that address the growing crisis of crystal methamphetamine and its impact on families and communities

OBJECTIVES:

To provide a community-oriented, community-led message about the destructiveness of crystal methamphetamine

To work directly with First Nations, Métis, and Aboriginal governing organizations that integrate traditional, cultural, and holistic healing within wellness plans and healthy lifestyle alternatives

Actively seek support and involvement from local school districts and other education and training institutes in implementing an awareness campaign

To actively seek the involvement of Youth and At-Risk Youth in developing, designing, and implementing a Youth oriented campaign to address the crystal methamphetamine crisis

To build an active network of existing Youth organizations, agencies, and all levels of government to coordinate the campaign

To identify existing barriers for Individuals and At-Risk Youth seeking rehabilitation

To explore existing and developing programs and services available for those Individuals experiencing addiction to crystal methamphetamine


CHALLENGE:

At-risk Aboriginal Youth are more susceptible to drug and substance abuse and require a dedicated strategy.

51% of the Aboriginal population in Canada are youth under the age 25

Aboriginal At-Risk Youth suffer:

the highest suicide rates among teens

alcohol abuse

smoking and drug addiction

gang violence

unplanned pregnancy

highest levels of poverty and unemployment

ow education levels

lack of access to basic health care services

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What is crystal meth doing to our kids and city?

September 7, 2005

Crystal meth is extremely dangerous and it’s unlike any other drug.

Use of crystal meth in our community is rising dramatically.

This drug is a serious threat to our youth, our community, our environment, our health care workers, police and many others.

If you live beside a meth lab, you and your family are in danger.

Join the community campaign against crystal meth.

A community task force is being formed in School District 61 to combat crystal meth use through: youth education, community awareness, enforcement, and rehabilitation services.

Learn how to be a part of the solution.

Come to the public meetings and volunteer.

Where: 833 Pandora Avenue,

Central Baptist Church Auditorium

When: September 7, 1:00 – 3:00 and 7:00 to 9:00

“If there was ever a drug to go to war on, this is the one.”

(Cst. Brad Fraser, Victoria Police Department)

More information is available at: http://www.crystalmethbc.ca

Be Crystal Clear


Respectfully,

Marcus Oppenheimer, President
United Native Nations Local 560 - Alberni Valley
3054 - 2nd Avenue
Port Alberni, BC
V9Y 1Y9
Ph: 250-724-9866
E-mail: icas1@shaw.ca
Website: http://members.shaw.ca/ICAS1

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BACKGROUND

Crystal Meth Workshop Report

Workshop Presentation on Crystal Meth August 17, 2005

Songhees Longhouse Kitchen

Guest Speaker Mark Mclaughin plus additional speakers from The Crystal Meth Society - Victoria

Facilitators:

Ron Marshell - Facilitator

Lavatta Frank – Co-facilitator

Mary Ann Harris, Alcohol & Drug Worker

Started with smudging ceremony, Harold Joseph said opening prayer. Introductions were made of everyone in a circle. The whole theme of workshop was to be creating awareness to youth. More adults attending workshop than youth. There were 60 in attendance. We now know about this new addiction and the Crystal Meth Society provided us with resource materials, DVD’s etc. so that we can continue to educate our youth. No pictures were taken, however, one can envision members of Songhees Nation sitting in a circle open to learning about Crystal Meth and it’s addictive effects when someone becomes addicted to it.

Crystal Meth is a highly addictive stimulant drug like cocaine, crack cocaine or speed. The white or off-white powder or crystal is made from easily acquired ingredients. It may contain acetone, drain cleaner, paint thinner, kerosene, lithium batteries, iodine or rubbing alcohol. Use of the drug can lead to rapid weight loss and malnutrition, intense paranoia, hallucinations, rages and violent behaviour, and death due to brain hemorrhage or cardiovascular shock. Long-term use destroys up to 11 per cent of grey matter in abusers’ brains, comparable to or greater than the loss of brain cells found in patients with dementia or schizophrenia. All in all, it was a great workshop.


Mary Ann Harris (250) 386-7228
mharris@songheesnation.com
Alcohol & Drug Counsellor, Songhees Nation

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Curbing access to the ingredients of Meth
http://un-equaled.com/NTBLOG/?p=21

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This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges,
and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you will soon
read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this
simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her
story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the
needle still in her arm.

My Name: “Is Meth”

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,
I take your children, and that's just the start.
I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold,
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.
If you need me, remember I'm easily found,
I live all around you - in schools and in town
I live with the rich, I live with the poor,
I live down the street, and maybe next door.
I'm made in a lab, but not like you think,
I can be made under the kitchen sink.
In your child's closet, and even in the woods,
If this scares you to death, well it certainly should.
I have many names, but there's one you know best,
I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth.
My power is awesome, try me you'll see,
But if you do, you may never break free.
Just try me once and I might let you go,
But try me twice, and I'll own your soul.
When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie,
You do what you have to -- just to get high.
The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms
Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms.
You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad,
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.
But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised,
I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.
I take kids from parents, and parents from kids,
I turn people from God, and separate friends.
I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride,
I'll be with you always -- right by your side.
You'll give up everything - your family, your home,
Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.
I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give,
When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.
If you try me be warned - this is no game,
If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.
I'll ravish your body, I'll control your mind,
I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine.
The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed,
The voices you'll hear, from inside your head.
The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see,
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.
But then it's too late, and you'll know in your heart,
That you are mine, and we shall not part.
You'll regret that you tried me, they always do,
But you came to me, not I to you.
You knew this would happen, many times you were told,
But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.
You could have said no, and just walked away,
If you could live that day over, now what would you say?
I'll be your master, you will be my slave,
I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.
Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.
I can bring you more misery than words can tell,
Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

- - - - - - -

“’G” Methamphetamine on the Navajo Nation” is a compelling documentary that examines the effects of crystal methamphetamine (also known as “G,” glass, or meth) use on the Navajo Nation . . .
http://www.indiancountrynews.com/fullstory.cfm?ID=256

[Stop Crystal Meth Supply]

November 30, 2005

PLAN TO RESTRICT SALE OF SINGLE-SOURCE PSEUDOEPHEDRINES
MOVING FORWARD: OSWALD
- - -
Putting Products Behind Pharmacy Counters
Part of Strategy to Restrict Supply of Crystal Meth

Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald today announced the plan to move
17 single-source pseudoephedrine products behind the pharmacy counter at Manitoba drug stores is going forward as part of the strategy to restrict the supply of and reduce the demand for crystal meth.

"We want to find ways to help ensure single-source pseudoephedrine
products are used for their legitimate purpose of alleviating the symptoms of colds and aren't used for the production of crystal meth," Oswald said. "We also want to give retailers enough time to be fully informed of the change so they can proceed in an orderly fashion."

Oswald said there will be a phased-in process that will result in the
permanent movement of the products behind the counters of pharmacies:
* By regulation passed by the government today, single-source
pseudoephedrine will be classified as a drug under the Pharmaceutical
Act.

* Letters will be sent to non-pharmacy retailers informing them of
the regulatory change and that they must have the process of pulling
these products off the shelves completed by Jan. 15.

* The Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association will be developing its
own regulatory change formalizing the practice of keeping single-source
products in the dispensary of a pharmacy and informing pharmacists of
the change.

"The Council of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association is supportive of
the regulation changes needed to control the access to pseudoephedrine
and preventative measures to decrease the abuse of crystal meth," Gary
Cavanagh, president of the association.

"It is important for the government to take this proactive step in preventing the spread of crystal meth and I encourage my fellow retailers to co-operate as we all have families," said Wayne Appleyard, owner of Quarryview Esso of Stonewall.

- 30 -

[Busted! Meth on The Rez!]

Major Dent Made in Meth Menace in Indian Country . . .

News and Comment
by Tehaliwaskenhas
Bob Kennedy, Oneida
Copyright
Turtle Island Native Network
http://www.turtleisland.org

May 27, 2006

U.S. authorities announced this week they had busted a major methamphetamine crime organization operating on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

Drug Enforcement Agency, Tribal and other officers from numerous police and federal forces arrested 43, seized 20 lbs of high purety-Meth, $100,000 in cash, and 20 firearms, including one machine gun, during the two-year law enforcement operation.

Described as a plague on the Wind River Reservation, the crime group was distributing over seven pounds of methamphetamine per month with purity levels of the drug reaching extremely potent levels. One pound of methamphetamine purchased during the course of the investigation fetched anywhere from $10,000 to $18,000.

Combating Methamphetamine in Indian Country is a huge challenge - one reason? Because of the small number of Tribal officers policing vast areas.

That, according to Matthew Mead, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming, who testified earlier this year at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

He said Mexican and Native American criminals control most of the retail level of drug trafficking on reservations. Gangs have also begun to infiltrate Native American lands. Mexican criminals have been known to marry Native American women in order to gain a foothold on reservations, and thus establish drug distribution rings.

- - - - - - -

BACKGROUND

STATEMENT OF UNITED STATES ATTORNEY MATTHEW H. MEAD
United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming
United States Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs
April 5,2006

"Combating Methamphetamine in Indian Country"

Chairman McCain, Vice Chairman Dorgan, and Mcmbers of the Committee,
it is an honor to appear before you today to provide information about the growing presence of methamphetamine in Indian country, and what the Department of Justice is doing to partner with law enforcement and Native American communities to address this public safety and health problem. I am Matthew Mead, the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming. I am also a member of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee. The Native Amcrican Issues Subcommittee consists of 28 United States Attorneys who have significant amounts of Indian country in their respective districts. The members of the Subcommittee work actively individually and as a group to ensure that the law enforcement needs of Indian country are met, and consult frequently with tribes on law enforcement and prosecution issues important to Native Americans.

The Department of Justice recognizes that methamphetamine use,
production, and distribution in Indian country have increased significantly over the past ten years. Just last week, Attorney General Gonzales visited the Yakama Nation Indian Reservation in Washington state and participated in a roundtable discussion with federal, tribal, and state law enforcement and justice officials to discuss methamphetamine in Indian country. During this meeting, Attorney General Gonzales discussed the Department's ongoing efforts to combat mctharnphetamine, including the successes already achieved by drug task forces working in Indian country, and also announced a new methamphetamine training initiative for tribal law enforcerment.

The Nature of the Problem

Methamphetamine is a synthetic central nervous system stimulant that is
classified as a Schedule I1 controlled substance. It is widely abused throughout the United States and is distributed under the names "crank," "meth," "crystal," and "speed." Methamphetamine is commonly sold in powder forn, but has been distributed in tablets or as crystals (sometimes called "glass" or "ice").

Methamphetamine can be smoked, snorted, injected or taken orally. The
clandestine manufacture of methamphetamine has been a concern of law
enforcement officials since the 1960's, when outlaw motorcycle gangs produced their own methamphetamine in labs and dominated distribution in the United States. While clandestine labs can produce other types of illicit drugs such as PCP, MDMA, and LSD, methamphetamine has always been the primary drug manufactured in the vast majority of drug labs seized by law enforcement officers throughout the nation.

The methamphetamine found in the United States originates from two
general sources, controlled by two distinct groups. Most of the methamphetamine consumed in the United States is produced by Mexico-based and California-based Mexican traffickers. These drug trafficking organizations control "super labs" (a laboratory capable of producing 10 pounds or more of methamphetamine within a production cycle) and produce the majority of methamphetamine available in the
United States. Super labs require bulk amounts of pseudoephedrine, a key
ingredient used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine.

Current drug and lab seizure data suggests that roughly eighty percent of the methamphetamine used in the United States comes from these larger labs, which are increasingly found in Mexico. These same Mexican criminal organizations control most mid-level and retail methamphetamine distribution in the Pacific, Southwest, and West Ccntral regions of the United States, as well as much of the distribution in the Great Lakes
and Southeast regions.

lnitially found only in the most western areas of the country, there has been a steady increase and eastward spread of small toxic labs (STLs) in the United States. Currently, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) estimates that STLs are responsible for approximately twenty percent of the methamphetamine consumed nationwide. Many methamphetamine abusers quickly learn that the drug is easily produced and that it can be manufactured using common household products found at retail stores. For approximately $100 in "materials," a methamphetamine "cook" can produce approximately $1,000 worth of this poison.

Items such as rock salt, battery acid, red phosphorous road flares, pool acid, and iodine crystals can be used as a source for the necessary chemicals. Precursor chemicals such as pseudoephedrine can be extracted from common, over-the- counter cold medications, regardless of whether they are sold in liquid, gel, or pill form. Using relatively common items such as mason jars, coffee filters, hot plates, pressure cookers, pillowcases, plastic tubing and gas cans, a clandestine lab operator can manufacture methamphetamine almost anywhere without the need for
sophisticated laboratory equipment.

The spread of methamphetamine labs can also be attributed to the evolution of technology and the increased use of the Internet. This form of information sharing allows wide dissemination of these manufacturing techniques to anyone with computer access. Aside from marijuana, methamphetamine is the only widely abused illegal drug that is capable of being produced by the abuser. Given the relative ease with which manufacturers are able to acquire "recipes" and ingredients, and the unsophisticated nature of the production process, it is not difficult to see why methamphetamine and methamphetamine labs have spread
across America, poisoning our citizens and contaminating our environment.

As the Committee is aware, the effects of methamphetamine are tragic,
particularly with regard to children. Parents who manufacture methamphetamine may cook the drug with their children nearby, exposing them to highly toxic fumes and other hazards. Parents who are addicted to the drug will periodically engage in a binge lasting two or three days, during which their children are neglected entirely. Extended use of the drug often leads to changes in temperament which may result in the physical abuse of children. And, we have yet to understand the long-term negative effects of children born to methamphetamine-addicted mothers.

Drug Trafficking in Indian Country

In the United States, there are 562 federally recognized tribes, residing on
281 reservations within 34 different states. Sixty-one reservations are within 50 miles of either the U.S.-Canada border or the US.-Mexico border. Because of the sovereign status of the tribes, they are generally not subject to state jurisdiction, except where Public Law 280 applies. As a result, local law enforcement often has no jurisdiction in Indian country, and tribal law enforcement agencies bear the burden of most law enforcement functions. The ratio of law enforcement personnel to residents on tribal lands is far lower than in non-tribal areas. In Indian
lands, according to the National Native American Law Enforcement
Association,the ratio is less than 2 officers per 1,000 residents, compared to a range of 3.9 to 6.6 officers per 1,000 residents in non-tribal areas.

The dispersion of residents in tribal areas over a large geographic area exacerbates this problem. For example, we understand that the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota has 88 sworn tribal officers to serve 41,000 residents on 2.1 million acres. This equates to a ratio of 1 officer per 24,400 acres of land.

Mexican and Native American traffickers control most of the retail level
drug distribution on reservations. Gangs have also begun to infiltrate Native American lands. Mexican criminals have been known to marry Native American women in order to gain a foothold on reservations, and thus establish drug distribution rings. The proximity of some reservations to the border facilitates drug trafficking. For example, the Tohono O'Odham Indian Reservation in Arizona is the second largest reservation in the United States, sharing approximately 70 miles of border with Mexico. It is a vast, desolate, and largely unprotected reservation that provides ample opportunity for uncontested border crossing. The Tohono O'Odham Indian Reservation is believed to be used as a primary corridor for the movement of illegal drugs by Mexican drug trafficking organizations. In 2004, 32.1 metric tons of marijuana alone were seized on the Tohono O'Odham Reservation.

Federal Law Enforcement Efforts

The Department of Justice's Office of Tribal Justice has met with
representatives from the National Congress of American Indians, the National Native American Law Enforcement Association, and numerous federally recognized tribes, in addition to federal partners from the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Office of Law Enforcement Services and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, to address the problem of methamphetamine in lndian country. The Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS) of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee hosted a Tribal Summit in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in October 2005. The Summit's focus was methamphetamine, specifically, creating strategies to combat methamphetamine distribution, its use in Indian country and to clarify litigation policies among the U.S. Attorneys with Indian country responsibility. The Summit was attended by over 100 tribal representatives from around the country, as well as representatives from the Department of Justice's Office of Tribal Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), state and local law enforcement, tribal law enforcement, the DEA, the Indian Health Service, and the Deputy Drug Czar for State and Local Affairs.

Following this meeting, a best practices document was drafted for review
and approved by the Attorney General's Advisory Committee and disseminated to the 94 United States Attorney's Offices. Recommendations in the best practices document include, in part, the development or enhancement of regional multi-jurisdictional investigative task forces, reducing the drug quantity thresholds for federal prosecution, increased participation in drug endangered children initiatives, and working with local health care providers to develop safety plans for medical providers, patients, and the public in emergency room departments.

The United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, under the direction of U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton, has taken steps to address the issue of drug trafficking in Indian country. Together with the BIA, FBI, and the Drug
Enforcement Administration's Phoenix Field Division, the U.S. Attorney's Office has developed an initiative that addresses the threat of methamphetamine in Indian country by emphasizing training, education, enforcement, and prosecution strategies. The initiative focuses available resources on drug dealers who constitute the greatest threat to Indian communities in Arizona, and has already resulted in increased prosecutions of drug dealers working in Arizona's Indian communities.
Also in Arizona, the DEA's Phoenix Field Division has included a BIA
agent in its methamphetamine conspiracy and clan lab group, and it conducts aggressive demand reduction efforts and education events throughout Indian country. The Phoenix Field Division is also offering a two-day methamphetamine training course, in conjunction with the BIA, FBI and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office, designed specifically for Tribal Law Enforcement charged with implementing the local methamphetamine eradication plan. The training will involve the basics in methamphetamine and drug identification, as well as clan lab safety and investigation, search and seizure issues, evidence handling, interview techniques, and drug field testing. The Clan Lab Safety & Investigation component of the training is an abbreviated form of the DEA's State and Local Clan Lab Certification School curriculum. This training will be regional and cover the entire state of Arizona. Presently, the schools are planned for May of 2006 in Phoenix and Flagstaff, and representatives from 14 tribes are expected to attend.

To address violent crime in Indian country, as well as drug trafficking, the
FBI initiated the Safe Trails Task Force Program in March 1994. Other Task
Force participants include the DEA, BIA, tribal police departments, and state and local law enforcement agencies. There are currently 15 Safe Trails Task Forces.

As the Committee is aware, our Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the
Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), and the
Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) continue to be the
Department's primary resources for funding, programmatic, and other assistance in Indian country. OJP has been providing methamphetamine investigation training for law enforcement, including tribal law enforcement, for many years. The training has been delivered by the Center for Task Force Training (CenTF), an OJP grantee that is supported by the National Narcotics Officers' Association.

Attorney General Gonzales recently announced that OJP will develop a new
methamphetamine investigation training specifically tailored to tribal law
enforcement. This new course will provide tribal law enforcement what they need to know to conduct successful and safe methamphetamine investigations. CenTF will deliver the training in ten locations throughout the U.S. in 2006 and 2007. We expect that several hundred tribal law enforcement officers will receive training through this initiative.

OJP's Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program is another valuable resource
for communities experiencing methamphetamine problems, including tribal
communities. This program provides financial and technical assistance to states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to develop and implement drug courts that effectively integrate substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives, and transitional services in a judicially supervised court setting with jurisdiction over nonviolent, substance-abusing offenders. Drug courts assist those who abuse methamphetamine and other drugs by providing treatment, drug testing, sanctions, and transitional services to offenders.

Several tribes and tribal organizations, including the Washoe Tribe of
Nevada and California; the Chippewa Cree Tribe, the Crow Agency and the Fort Peck and Sioux Tribes of Montana; the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe of South Dakota; and Yakama Nation and Lummi Nation of Washington, have used OJP drug court grants to address methamphetamine problems. In fact, Attorney General Gonzales toured the Yakama Nation's drug court last week, and spoke with the chief judge about methamphetamine cases on the reservation. The Crow Agency and Lummi Nation are already planning additional drug court efforts that will also focus on methamphetamine use. In addition, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is planning a methamphetamine-related drug court program using
OJP funds.

OJP also focuses on victims of methamphetamine use who are too often
overlooked - children found living or visiting methamphetamine laboratories. As mentioned earlier, these children face severe health and safety risks, including fires and explosions.

This spring OJP will develop a National Drug Endangered Children Resource Center, which will provide critical information to the federal Government, states, and local communities on how to best help children hurt by drugs, including methamphetamine. This effort will help drug enforcement officers and child welfare workers aid children found in environments where drugs
are manufactured, sold, or used. The Resource Center will also raise awareness of these children's needs and provide a forum for leading experts and researchers to propose solutions. We hope that the Resource Center will also be a useful tool for tribal communities, especially in areas with methamphetamine problems.

Successful Law Enforcement Partnerships -- The Wyoming Example

A collaborative effort between federal, state, local and tribal law
enforcement is essential in tackling a problem as pervasive as methamphetamine.

Two recent cases in the District of Wyoming are helpful illustrations of the
efficacy of a coordinated response to methamphetamine trafficking in Indian country.

In 2004, the DEA's Post of Duty in Casper Wyoming, the Wyoming
Division of Criminal Investigation Northwest Enforcement Team (DCI), and the BIA on the Wind River Indian Reservation initiated an investigation into the Goodman Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). This investigation focused on the narcotic activities of the Goodman DTO - a family-run criminal organization based on the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR or Reservation). The Goodman DTO was responsible for distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and diverted prescription painkillers, such as Oxycodone (Oxyeontin), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), and Proxyphene (Darvocet), to residents of the Reservation and neighboring areas of Fremont County.

Investigators estimate that the Goodman DTO distributed at least one pound of methamphetamine each month to clients on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

In addition, the Goodman DTO served approximately 20 to 50 drug customers per day. This year-long investigation culminated on May 27, 2005, with law enforcement officers executing 19 arrest warrants and 28 search warrants on the WRIR and in surrounding areas. In the days leading up to the arrests, federal and state agents learned of credible threats to harm a BIA officer for his proactive approach in the investigation. These threats, combined with the expansive geographic area from which such a large number of arrests were to be made and the large number of locations to be searched, triggered what is likely the largest
coordinated law enforcement response in Wyoming.

Law enforcement's preparation for this effort began well in advance. Through the focused leadership of DCI agents assigned to the Northwest
Enforcement Team, the DEA agents in Casper and the BIA officers, a detailed operation plan was drafted and fine tuned to meet all potential tactical obstacles and to ensure safety for all law enforcement, those being arrested, and those whose property was being searched. In all, 28 separate locations were searched. The searches turned up methamphetamine, marijuana, prescription pills, and weapons, including an SKS assault rifle. Within hours, all 19 defendants were arrested without incident and each location was secured and searched. No one was injured
and medical personnel in attendance were not needed. In June 2005, another seven defendants were arrested and charged. Again, cooperating law enforcement agencies gathered on a smaller scale to execute the
remaining arrest warrants. Altogether, 25 people, including a tribal court judge, faced various federal drug and firearm violations. Additional conspirators were charged through the Fremont County Attorney's Office.
The entire Goodman family has now pleaded guilty. In fact, of the 25
federal defendants, 22 have now been convicted. All persons charged with making threats against a law enforcement officer have pleaded guilty, including the tribal court judge.

A second Wyoming case illustrates how a ruthlessly devised and executed
business plan developed by a Mexican drug trafficking organization targeted Indian reservations in the West for methamphetamine distribution. On May 3, 2005, a jury found Jesus Martin Sagaste-Cruz, 39, of Mexico, guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Sagaste-Cruz was found responsible for distributing, during the course of the conspiracy, in excess of 100 pounds of methamphetamine on the WRIR, in several other Wyoming communities, and in Ogden, Utah. One hundred pounds of methamphetamine has a street value of between 4.5 to 6.8 million dollars. Sagaste-Cruz was sentenced to life in prison on
July 6, 2005.

What is particularly compelling about this case is that Sagaste-Cruz
executed a criminal business plan to sell methamphetamine not only in Fremont County, Wyoming, but also on the Rosebud, Pine Ridge and Yankton reservations in South Dakota and on the Santee Sioux Reservation in Nebraska. Through the investigation, authorities learned that the business plan was hatched after members of the drug ring read a news article in the Denver Post. The article described how liquor stores in Whiteclay, a small Nebraska town, were profitably selling huge quantities of alcohol to Native Americans from the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation
in South Dakota. In fact, the Whiteclay liquor stores sold $4 million a year in beer and malt liquor primarily to members of the Oglala Lakota Sioux. That reservation had an alcoholism problem of epidemic proportions. The news article also pointed out how liquor sales peaked each month shortly after monthly per-capita checks were sent in the mail.

Members of Sagaste-Cruz' drug ring surmised that if people who were
addicted to alcohol could be given free samples of methamphetamine, the
alcoholics would quickly switch over to being addicted to the drug. And, the
Mexican-national members of this drug ring figured they would not stand out among American Indians. The organization led by Sagaste-Cruz could distribute the methamphetamine via customers who would be forced to become dealers to support their own habits. The methamphetamine could be supplied by "super labs" in California and Mexico.

To execute the business plan, members of the Sagaste-Cruz organization
relocated to communities in close proximity to the affected reservations. The first thing the members did was to develop romantic relationships with Indian women. Some even had children with these Indian women. The women were introduced to the methamphetamine with free samples. All of the lower-level distributors told investigators that they started as recreational users and all became severely addicted to methamphetamine. To support their habit, customers became dealers and distributors themselves, using free samples to recruit new customers. This model provided for steady growth as customers became dealersirecruiters
themselves, and their customers in turn became dealersirecruiters in a pyramid growth scheme.

The key to breaking the Sagaste-Cruz ring was coordination with local law
enforcement officers, on and off the reservations. The sharing of information and resources allowed for a gradual realization that we were dealing with a large-scale criminal enterprise and not just a few users on the WRIR. It is worthy of note that some of the dealers/recruiters told law enforcement officials that getting arrested probably saved their lives. All are in prison and participate in the Bureau of Prisons' Residential Drug Abuse Treatment program, a program consisting of a minimum of 500 hours of intensive treatment and counseling over 9 months.

At Sagaste-Cruz's sentencing District Judge Alan B. Johnson said "Standing
before me today is not a man who is addicted to drugs or is dealing with his own personal depression or demons in his life. He is a man who is part of a business organization which exists for the purpose of bringing his poisons into the United States, over the borders, from California to Utah and into Wyoming, for consumption by those people on the reservation and others throughout the state of Wyoming who do suffer from a wide variety of ills as well as disorders in their own lives .... ,-

An effective and efficient collaborative effort between tribal, state, and
federal law enforcement, and the support of tribal leaders, was critical to the successful dismantling of the Goodman and Sagaste-Cruz organizations. Such collaboration has been and continues to be greatly enhanced by outreach efforts undertaken by the United States Attorney's Office to build rapport with the WRIR's Joint Business Council and the two tribes it represents, the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone. These efforts include hosting an annual Native American Conference in Fremont County, attending cultural events important to the Indian community, ensuring that Indian victims and defendants are treated with
respect and sensitivity, and meeting regularly with the Joint Business Council. An important outgrowth of the strong working relationship we have developed with the Tribes is a cooperative law enforcement agreement between federal, state, local and tribal agencies, which makes optimal use of available law enforcement resources in the area.

However, we continue to be faced with unique challenges on the
Reservation. Investigations can be more difficult because Indian family members who may be witnesses to illegal narcotics activities are often under intense pressure not to cooperate with authorities. Native Americans engaged in the sale of illegal drugs on reservations are very cognizant and distrustful of outsiders, making undercover work more challenging. Wiretaps conducted on the Reservation may not be as effective as those elsewhere, since telephone use by perpetrators can be sporadic or greatly limited. These challenges demand that we use all of the tools at our disposal, including the outreach and collaborative law enforcement efforts mentioned above.

Additional Law Enforcement Efforts

Other jurisdictions also successfully use a collaborative law enforcement
model. In March 2006, the DEA's Mobile Enforcement Team from the Dallas
Field Division, working closely with the Chickasaw Indian Nation, the BIA, ATF, state and local officers, and the United States Attorney's Offices, concluded a nine month deployment and investigation in Texas and Oklahoma that resulted in the arrest of 108 individuals and the dismantling of seven methamphetamine trafficking organizations and two crack cocaine organizations.

According to Sheldon Sperling, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the federal targets represent the leaders of an organization planted in southern Oklahoma and northeastern Texas by a violent street gang in Chicago known as Satan's Disciples. The year-long operation against the drug ring was dubbed "700 Ranch Round-up" and has led to the confiscation of over 19 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $166,000, and 49 weapons. As a result of this effort, seven methamphetamine trafficking organizations and two crack cocaine
organizations were dismantled.

The "700 Ranch Round-up" is actually the second major take-down in a
three year period involving the Eastern District of Oklahoma. In 2003-2004, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma launched an initiative along the Oklahoma/Arkansas border to stop five drug trafficking operations that were operating at tribal casinos, beyond the reach of state and local law enforcement. Limited tribal and BIA resources also allowed these traffickers to operate with impunity. The initiative, heralded as a sterling example of intergovernmental cooperation, netted 34 defendants. The federal government
prosecuted one-half of those arrested, with the remaining defendants prosecuted by state officials.

Conclusion

I commend the Committee's interest in the public safety and health
consequences of the methamphetamine menace on Indian reservations.
Methamphetamine has contributed to the high violent crime rate in Indian country, devastated Native American families, and strained resources of tribal law enforcement, heath, and social services programs. Those consequences remain an important concern at the Department of Justice. I appreciate the opportunity to speak on this critical and timely topic. I will be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

[Indian Country MethMenace]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16, 2006

16 Individuals Charged with Federal Drug Crimes on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... h0817.html

Results of a Joint Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Police Department and Federal Agency Undercover Investigation into Methamphetamine Dealing

United States Attorney Paul K. Charlton, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community President Joni Ramos, Salt River Police Dept. Chief of Police Stanley Kephart, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Landrum, Drug Enforcement Administration, announce the federal charging of sixteen (16) individuals for the distribution and/or possession of methamphetamine on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community adjacent to Scottsdale, Arizona. Speaking from the Indian Tribe’s Community Center, United States Attorney Paul K. Charlton and President Joni Ramos, accompanied by officials of the DEA, FBI, ATF, BIA and Officers of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community announced that the arrests were the result of a seven-month joint undercover operation.

United States Attorney Paul K. Charlton stated “Like rural America, Indian Country is threatened by the introduction of methamphetamine into their communities. President Ramos should be commended in responding to this threat. Congratulations to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community tribal, federal and local law enforcement agencies on a successful joint undercover effort that involved sincere cooperation and sophisticated means. Our job is not complete. We will continue to work toward eradicating this threat.”

“This joint project has been a significant step toward improving and protecting the lives of our Community members,” said Joni M. Ramos, President, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. “The partnering law enforcement agencies have been working diligently to eliminate the dreadful substances afflicting our Community. We appreciate all of their hard work and assistance.”

“The scourge of methamphetamine is tightening its grip on communities across rural America and in our Indian communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. Landrum. “DEA is taking a focused, proactive approach towards combating the methamphetamine threat in our state’s Indian Reservations. Side by side with our tribal and law enforcement partners, we are holding meth dealers accountable, seizing their profits and shutting down their distribution network. This operation puts us one step closer in ensuring the safety and welfare of our tribal communities from this deadly drug and harmful effects it leaves behind.”

Last summer, U.S. Attorney Paul K. Charlton invited the 21 Arizona Indian tribal police chiefs and the Arizona federal law enforcement agencies to a round table discussion on how to collectively address the methamphetamine problem confronting their communities. At that meeting the respective Special Agents in Charge of the DEA, the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Law Enforcement committed their offices to cooperate and provide assistance to the tribal police departments requesting their assistance. As a result, an Arizona Indian Country Methamphetamine Eradication Proposal was developed. Among the goals of the Arizona Indian Country Methamphetamine Eradication
Proposal are to:

* Send a message that dealing methamphetamine in Indian Country amounts to long federal prison sentences;
* Focus limited resources on individuals who constitute the greatest threat to Indian tribal communities;
* Prosecute all readily provable methamphetamine felony crimes against targets who have a significant negative impact in their communities; and
* Encourage Indian tribes to use their limited judicial systems and resources to prosecute individual methamphetamine possession cases in their tribal courts.

The proposal was presented in July, 2005 to the 21 Arizona Indian Tribes, the FBI, BIA and DEA. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community was one of the first Indian tribes to actively join with federal law enforcement agencies to implement the methamphetamine eradication initiative.

The 16 individuals were arrested from January 9, 2006 through July 19, 2006. Each individual has made his/her initial appearances in U.S. Magistrate Court in Phoenix, Arizona.

The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of Conspiracy to Possess w/Intent to Distribute Actual Methamphetamine pursuant to Title 21 U.S.C. § 846 is 20 years in federal custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Actual Methamphetamine, Aiding and Abetting pursuant to 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)( C) is 20 years in federal custody and/or $1,000,000. The Forfeiture allegations pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 853 provide a process whereby property derived from proceeds obtained from a drug violation or property used to commit such violations are subject to forfeiture.

The United States Attorney emphasized that a grand jury indictment and a federal criminal complaint are the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

On June 29th, the United States Attorney, Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, and representatives of the DEA and FBI met with reporters in Flagstaff to announce the federal arrest and charging of 34 individuals for federal drug crimes on the Navajo Nation. Those individuals had also been the target of a joint tribal and federal undercover methamphetamine eradication investigation.

This undercover operation was conducted by the Salt River Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Scottsdale Police Department, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Police Department, Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department and the Mesa Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Tom Simon, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona.

Timothy J. Landrum, Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent-in-Charge, Phoenix Field Division has provided audio comments on the joint undercover operation. The audio can be accessed by doing the following:

Dial 1-888-557-6494, and then dial mailboxes 707 and 708. Listen and Record

[Government Action]

October 2006

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Government launches Crystal Meth public awareness / education program

Crystal Meth school-based program and public education campaign http://www.no2meth.ca/

Oct. 23, 2006
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
PROVINCE LAUNCHES $3M CRYSTAL METH EDUCATION PROGRAM
VICTORIA – The Province today unveiled its latest tool in the fight against crystal methamphetamine use: a $3-million school-based program and public education campaign.

“We know crystal meth use is a problem,” said Education Minister Shirley Bond. “Research shows that about five per cent of students in grades 7-12 may have tried crystal meth. Our government believes that one person using crystal meth is one person too many. And the best way to stop someone from using it is to keep them from ever starting. That’s why education is so important.”

The school-based program and public education campaign, which are aimed at students, parents and teachers, include:

· Classroom lessons and resources that help youth make healthy and informed decisions;

· Teacher resources that support the classroom lessons;

· A parents’ guide to provide parents with the information they need to talk to their kids about the drug;

· A website at www.no2meth.ca that features interactive games and activities, information on the effects and dangers of crystal meth, and how to help a child or friend who uses it; and

· A public awareness campaign.

“These resources are just a few of the many ways government is delivering on its commitment to fight crystal meth use and to invest in B.C.’s children and future,” said Bond. “These tools will help students and all young British Columbians make healthy choices that will allow them to reach their full potential.”

In 2005-06, the Ministry of Education provided $500,000 to the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils to ensure that teachers are fully trained in the effective use of the classroom resources.

At last year’s Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention, Premier Gordon Campbell committed $7 million for new initiatives to fight crystal meth use. Since then, five regional forums organized by the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General have taken place in Richmond, Courtenay, Vancouver, Kamloops and Prince George. The forums informed communities about the dangers of crystal meth use, and through enhanced knowledge, help communities reduce use.

“B.C. is on the front lines in the fight against crystal meth as part of our commitment to safer communities,” said Solicitor General John Les. “We’re working with police to shut down meth labs and bring down organized crime groups, but at the same time we also need to reach out to students, parents and teachers, so this education campaign is the natural next step.”

In 2004, B.C. became the first jurisdiction in Canada to announce an integrated crystal meth strategy. In 2005, the Province created the Crystal Meth Secretariat within the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to implement the strategy across government.

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ALBERTA

The Report and Recommendations of the Premier's Task Force on Crystal Meth is available by calling 310-4455 toll-free or on-line at http://www.stopmeth.alberta.ca

September 2006
Government welcomes recommendations to fight crystal meth

Edmonton... A comprehensive, ground-breaking blueprint for a strategy to battle the scourge of crystal methamphetamine has been received by the Government of Alberta.

"There is obviously much we can do, or do better, to fight crystal meth in our communities," said Premier Ralph Klein in accepting the report from the Premier's Task Force on Crystal Meth. "Government must now take up the challenges in these recommendations to create a meth-free province and a positive future, especially for our youth."

Premier Klein expressed his gratitude to the committee for the work they have done in developing the report's 83 recommendations. "We asked this task force to produce a roadmap to help us tackle a complex problem facing not just Alberta, but communities across North America," said Premier Klein. "I am very pleased with these strategies to reduce the harm to our youth, families and communities."

Government will now consider the best way to coordinate implementation of the recommendations. Some recommendations, such as website prevention strategies, leadership in drug education, street and drug intelligence teams, detoxification and treatment, and evaluation and measurement will build on work already being done and can be adopted more easily and quickly.

Other recommendations, such as law enforcement and education, resources for treatment, support, and after care, school policies, drug testing orders, and information sharing will require collaboration across ministries.

Some of the recommendations require policy or legislative change and in some instances coordination with federal and local jurisdictions. These recommendations include: mobilizing communities, support for municipal drug prevention, criminal penalties, precursor licensing, and clean-up of contaminated drug sites. Alberta has taken an active role in lobbying for changes to federal legislation and will consider these recommendations as we continue to push for stronger criminal law.

The Premier's Task Force on Crystal Meth was announced by Premier Ralph Klein in October 2005. Its purpose was to build on the work already being done and to champion, review, and advise on government strategies. In preparing its final report, the Task Force consulted with hundreds of Albertans and visited a dozen communities. In addition to awareness, prevention, treatment, and healing, the task force considered legislation, enforcement and environmental concerns as part of its overall strategy.

[Meth! On and Off The Rez]

The Fight Against METH On-Reserves/Reservations and in the Cities . . .

Background on the Fight Against Meth in First Nation and Indian country communities - Urban and On The Rez! http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/ ... php?t=3912

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In his 2007 State of Indian Nations
Joe Garcia, president of NCAI was quick to raise the issue of the fight against Meth in indian country.

". . .we called on the White House to establish a national task force to fight methamphetamine abuse and trafficking in Indian Country. The Administration and Congress responded, and federal agencies are now cooperating with tribes, NCAI, and national Indian organizations to battle this deadly problem. Our collaborative efforts have put us on the right path."

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This is an excerpt from Terry Cross, Director, National Indian Child Welfare Association, Portland, Oregon - Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support of the House Committee on Ways and Means

May 23, 2006
Methamphetamine use is especially high in many parts of Indian Country as evidenced by available data and recent testimony by tribal witnesses at two Senate hearings. The great strain on tribal child welfare systems is also evident. We point out the testimony of Arlene Templer of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes at the April 25, 2006 hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.

Templer states: "In the last four years we have placed over 30 meth affected children in the foster care system and the agency is experiencing tired, worn out caregivers who are now turning children back to us, before we can even achieve permanency for these needy children. The children are being turned back due to the high needs they have and the few supports we can offer. There are not funds for respite for caregivers; our departmental budget cannot afford it. There are no funds for specialized therapy, other than Medicaid. Caregivers are not trained to deal with the physical and mental health complications that the children present. In addition, caregivers are not trained to deal with the birth parents, when addictions and addictive behaviors are still present.”

"Children with meth effects have the following behaviors: head banging, constant crying, increased aggression towards siblings and caregivers, sensory integration dysfunction which result in slow and delayed gross and fine motor functions. The impact these children will have on our Nation's public schools will be devastating. They, like us, are not equipped nor funded to deal with these issues."

We also refer you to the testimony of Kathleen Kitcheyan, Chairwoman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on April 5, 2006: "Last year, there were about 500 reports of child neglect and/or abuse reported to the Tribe's child protective services. About 80% of these cases involved alcohol or drug use, such as meth, by the parent. About 36% of reported cases of child neglect and/or abuse are repeat occurrences." She told the Committee that in 2004, 64 babies out of 256 born to San Carlos Apache tribal members were addicted to methamphetamine, and 24% of pregnant women at San Carlos tested positive for methamphetamine. The numbers were even higher in 2005.

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Physical and Emotional Toll Great

Physical symptoms of Meth use can include accelerated heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, respiratory disorders, loss of appetite and sweating. Prolonged Meth abuse can cause paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions of parasites or insects on the skin which cause the user to aggressively scratch and pick at their own skin, producing horrific sores. According to the Indian Health Service, Meth use has grown steadily since 2000, and 1.7% of the Indian population was using Meth in 2004.

“The effects of Meth on the Indian communities go beyond the physical effects on the user, but are also hurting the people around them,” said NAIHC Executive Director Gary Gordon. “According to tribal leaders testifying at the Senate hearing, Meth addiction is causing a rise in homicides, aggravated assaults, rape, child abuse and neglect, and other crimes.” National American Indian Housing Council April 12, 2006

Family-Based Meth Treatment Access Act of 2007
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.405:

Drug Prevention in Indian country . . .
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/ ... php?t=4153
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Meth Lays Seige to Indian Country
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/200 ... meth_x.htm
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TURTLE MOUNTAIN TRIBAL JUDGE TESTIFIES ON FIGHT AGAINST METH ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS
http://www.indian.senate.gov/public/_fi ... 040506.pdf

April 2006

Washington, DC - “Approximately 90 percent of individuals entering treatment programs at Turtle Mountain” Reservation in North Dakota are there because of methamphetamines, tribal judge Karrie Azure said in testimony before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee here.

Azure went to the Capitol Hill hearing to testify on her experience coordinating the United Tribes Multi-Tribal Indian Drug and Alcohol Initiative, a federally funded program at United Tribes Technical College that encourages collaboration among tribes in fighting meth abuse.

Azure testified that more resources are needed to fight the effects of a drug that is ravaging tribal communities. While dealers travel from reservation to reservation and use juveniles to do their pushing, there are too few resources to address a lack of law enforcement, she said. Meanwhile, she said, there is a lack of bed space for new meth-related patients and treatment doesn’t last long enough, leading to a recovery rate of only 3 percent.

“As strongly stated already by tribal leaders and officials in addressing the methamphetamine problem, it is unrealistic for tribes to engage in a battle against substance abuse alone,” Azure said. “Developing partnerships with local, state and federal governments is necessary.”

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Wyoming trouble with Native American meth labs

WASHINGTON - Federal officials and tribal leaders testified at a congressional hearing Wednesday that the Methamphetamine problem in Indian Country urgently requires increased funding for prevention and treatment programs and more law enforcement coordination.

“The situation can be described in a single word: crisis,” said Robert McSwain, deputy director of the federal Indian Health Service, at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing.
Methamphetamine has contributed to the high rate of violent crime in Indian Country, devastated Native families and strained resources of tribal law enforcement, health and social services programs, said Matthew Mead, the U.S. attorney for the District of Wyoming.

Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., who sits on the Indian Affairs Committee, asked Mead and the other witnesses what the special obstacles are to dealing with Meth on reservations.

“Indian Country is unique because of, and this is not an exhaustive list, the size of the reservation, wide dispersal of residents, limited numbers of law enforcement officers and the distinctive heritage and culture of the Native Americans,” Mead said.

Mead said 80 percent of Meth consumed in this country comes from “super labs” that are capable of producing at least 10 pounds of Meth within a production cycle, and are run by Mexican traffickers in that country or in California. The other 20 percent is made in small labs in the United States, often by Meth abusers.

Gangs have begun to infiltrate Native lands, Mead said, with some Mexican criminals marrying American Indian women in order to gain a foothold on reservations.

On Indian lands, Mead said, there are fewer than two law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents, compared with a range of 3.9 to 6.6 officers per 1,000 residents in non-tribal lands.

He also noted that the difficulty of bringing in outside undercover agents for stings on tight-knit reservations. He said families come under great pressure not to cooperate with officers.

Although not a member of the committee, Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., attended the hearing. He said the Meth problem is compounded in Indian Country by a number of factors, including poverty.

“One need only look at the Billings area to see this problem,” Burns said. “The median household income for families on reservations near Billings is around $14,000 a year. (That) affects families' ability to provide nutrition, health care and housing for their children.”

Burns said the number of addicts seeking treatment exceeds the capacity of treatment facilities and that there are no treatment centers on Montana reservations.

“In order to receive help, Montana's Indian youth are taken out of the communities that they know and are placed in facilities dominated by non-tribal members,” he said.

Law enforcement efforts have been “fractured,” and a lack of resources has also affected the spread of Meth in Indian Country, Burns added.

Mead cited two recent Wyoming cases that show how federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement can work together. Last year saw a crackdown on the Goodman drug trafficking organization, a family-run crime organization on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

The organization served 20 to 50 drug customers a day and distributed at least 1 pound of Meth per month on the reservation, Mead said, but 22 of the 25 federal defendants now have been convicted.

Mead also cited the breakup of a Mexican drug trafficking organization and the successful prosecution last year of its leader, Jesus Martin Sagaste-Cruz.

Ivan Posey, chairman of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council, missed the hearing because of airline problems, but submitted written testimony.

Posey called for education, additional treatment facilities and funding for prevention and social services programs, including foster care.

“What is needed in Indian Country are residential treatment facilities that address chemical dependency in sometimes a cultural and traditional manner,” he said. “Eighty percent of all residents in the Rock Springs, Wyo., treatment facility are from Fremont County, where we reside. This facility is 2.5 hours away from our home.”

He said four homicides in 2004 involved Meth use on the Wind River Reservation. He also cited 284 drug-related misdemeanors in 2004 and 99 in 2005.

Indian Affairs Vice Chairman Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he and Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., would introduce an amendment to make tribal governments eligible for grants under the Patriot Act for anti-meth programs.

Kathleen Wesley-Kitcheyan, chairwoman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe of Arizona, talked about her reluctance to testify, saying it felt like airing her family's dirty laundry.

But she felt compelled after learning that 64 of the 256 babies born to tribal members in 2004 were addicted to Meth, and that the number increased in 2005, she said.

She also cited cases of a 9-year-old boy using Meth, a mother on Meth who stabbed her baby to death, and meth-related suicides among the approximately 13,000 tribal members.

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TESTIMONY OF CHAIRWOMAN KATHLEEN W. KITCHEYAN OF THE SAN CARLOS APACHE TRIBE
FOR THE OVERSIGHT HEARING ON THE PROBLEM OF METHAMPHETAMINE IN INDIAN COUNTRY
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE
APRIL 5, 2006
http://www.indian.senate.gov/public/_fi ... 040506.pdf

THE HONORABLE IVAN POSEY
Chairman, Wind River Eastern Shoshone Tribe
http://www.indian.senate.gov/public/_fi ... 040506.pdf

THE HONORABLE JEFFERSON KEEL
First Vice President National Congress of American Indians, and Lieutenant Governor of Chickasaw Nation
http://www.indian.senate.gov/public/_fi ... 040506.pdf

MR. GARY EDWARDS
Chief Executive Officer, National Native American Law Enforcement Association
http://www.indian.senate.gov/public/_fi ... 040506.pdf

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National Congress of American Indians . . .
http://www.ncai.org/Meth_in_Indian_Coun ... 192.0.html
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Navajo Nation action. . .
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5072310

Crystal Meth
BC Government's Ministry of Public Safety
http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crystalmeth/

Canadian Government funding
http://www.turtleisland.org/discussion/ ... php?p=6085

[Children and Meth Labs]

Manitoba News Release

April 12, 2007

PROTOCOL IN PLACE TO PROTECT METH'S YOUNGEST VICTIMS
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New Protocol, New Support for Youth Stabilization Facility Bolsters Manitoba's Nation-leading Meth Strategy: Ministers

New measures to help protect Manitoba communities against the devastating effects of crystal meth, including mandatory procedures for decontamination and assessment of children found in home-based meth labs, were announced today by Family Services
and Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh, Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross and Attorney General Dave Chomiak.

"Children in meth labs are the most at risk due to highly toxic and explosive chemicals, as well as emotional and physical deprivation," said Mackintosh. "As another piece of Manitoba's meth strategy, this protocol is a further effort to stay ahead of the threat of meth, relying on the most promising practices across North America."

Manitoba's new Drug Endangered Children Protocol builds on a nation-leading package of measures to keep families and communities safe from the dangers of crystal meth. The protocol sets out safety and medical measures as a response to the acute risk faced by children exposed to chemicals used in meth
production.

The province will also be providing more than $1 million in operating funding for the youth stabilization facility that provides a safe, secure environment where youth can withdraw from the acute effects of substances and work with service providers
to consider their options for treatment. In addition, the province is investing $1.5 million to construct a permanent, 10-bed youth stabilization facility which will include both the mandatory stabilization beds as well as additional beds for
voluntary stabilization.

"Our government has invested in a spectrum of services to improve access to mental-health and addictions supports across Manitoba," said Irvin-Ross. "By focusing on a combination of areas
including prevention, intervention, outreach and facility-based care, we are providing continuous support to those affected and their families."

The Youth Addictions Stabilization Unit has seen more than 49 youth. Following assessment by addictions specialists, 34 were issued stabilization orders.
Over 70 per cent of the youth who completed stabilization orders have chosen to go on to community or residential addictions treatment.


Chomiak said Manitoba will intensify efforts to ensure the federal government moves ahead on tightening licensing to control the bulk importation and distribution of materials used to manufacture crystal meth. He said historic funding for 30
additional police officers announced in Budget 2007 will further bolster law-enforcement resources to shut down meth labs.

"Manitoba's sweeping meth strategy strikes at the root of the potential scourge of crystal meth," Chomiak said. "New tools for police combined with tough penalties, training for front-line responders and strong legislation is helping Manitoba win the
fight against this deadly drug."

The Drug Endangered Children Protocol announced today is enabled by the Child and Family Services Act and supplements Manitoba's Unified Takedown Protocol unveiled in June 2006. It requires the following:

· decontamination of a child by emergency services personnel in specialized trailers or tents using a series of showers;

· provision of uncontaminated clothing;

· assessment of a child's immediate health condition by medically-trained personnel and transfer to a medical facility if there is obvious injury or illness;

· assessment by child and family services personnel for safety, risk and ongoing planning, considering the unique factors related to meth;

· consideration of debriefing or therapy to deal with the experience; and

· special arrangements with foster parents for full medical assessments at 30 days and one year.

The protocol also addresses issues of staff exposure and training for workers. In the United States, children have been found in as many as one in three meth labs. Children have been injured and killed and thousands have been taken into foster care.

The province also today unveiled a newly-designed web site on Manitoba's meth strategy.

The site at http://www.manitoba.ca/methstrategy offers a broad range of resources for families and communities on crystal meth.

[Methamphetamine]

The fight against methamphetamine in Native communities

November 14th, 2007

Today, at the 64th Annual Conference of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the Partnership for a Drug- Free America and NCAI previewed a new communications campaign designed to raise awareness and reduce use of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine in Native communities.

The research-based campaign, which includes public service messages for radio and print, as well as posters, is the first national meth prevention initiative developed specifically for Indian Country.

"This is one of the most important collaborations NCAI has ever been a part of," said NCAI President Joe A. Garcia. "This is a crucial component of our ongoing fight against meth in Indian Country. Meth has a hold on Native communities and it is devastating to see Indian people suffer in its grasp. This educational initiative will undoubtedly save lives."

Nationally, Native Americans, including American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians, experience the highest rates of methamphetamine abuse among all other ethnicities, a factor that creates a negative ripple effect throughout communities. A 2006 report from the Bureau of Indian Affairs indicates that 74% of tribal police forces rank meth as their greatest drug threat, and 48% report an increase in child neglect and abuse cases due to increased methamphetamine use.

Scott M. Burns, Deputy Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a partner in the effort, said the Administration is proud to be a part of the initiative. "The severity of the meth challenge in Indian Country is alarming. While many parts of the Nation are seeing declines in meth production, trafficking, and use, American Indian and Alaska Native communities are being preyed upon by the criminals behind this horrific drug trade. Developing culturally relevant meth prevention messages for Native Americans is an important first step in pushing back against this problem," said Burns.

The research-based campaign introduced today has a dual focus, with radio, print and poster ads aimed at Native youth, and print and radio messages targeting Native adults and elders. Members of the NCAI Youth Commission participated today in live-reads of the new youth radio spots, whose theme, "Who Am I?" acknowledge that Native youth often straddle two worlds, the traditional way of life and modern society, exploring how identity struggles may increase teens' vulnerability to meth. The messages encourage youth to draw strength from their traditions, heritage and connection with other teens to avoid the trap of meth. They also send a powerful message to Native elders and adults, encouraging them to stay involved in kids' lives as a way to keep communities and villages safe from drugs.

The adult-targeted ads reflect the research finding that Native adults and elders are deeply concerned about meth, but have less specific understanding of the drug than their kids and feel less equipped to protect their children. The campaign seeks to inform and motivate adults and elders to get involved in the meth fight by learning the facts and discussing meth's dangers in the community and, most importantly, with their kids.

"This campaign is meant to empower tribal communities to take action to address the meth problem," said Mike Townsend, Executive Vice President at the Partnership. "Through increased education and communication between parents, elders and teens, communities can become more resilient to the meth threat. It's our hope that these public service messages will encourage that dialogue."

The ads, currently in production and slated for distribution through early 2008, drive audiences to http://www.ncai.org/ for more information and a how-to guide of tips and advice for fighting meth in Native communities. Public service messages will be distributed on a pro-bono basis by NCAI, the Partnership and various community groups. Initial distribution will focus on Alaska, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, however, public service messages are available to all interested communities by contacting Jackson Brossy at 202.466.7767 or jbrossy@ncai.org

The public service messages were created by the Phoenix-based, Native- owned communications agency Alternative Marketing Solutions, and qualitative assessment and testing of all advertising concepts was conducted by the Native Wellness Institute. Campaign development is funded by a coalition of agencies including the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Partnership for a Drug-Free America

More about METH
http://www.drugfree.org/Files/Meth_Fact_Sheets/