[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 178 (Friday, November 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S14657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL METHAMPHETAMINE AWARENESS MONTH

  The resolution (S. Res. 366) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 366

       Designating November 2007 as ``National Methamphetamine 
     Awareness Month'', to increase awareness of methamphetamine 
     abuse.
       Whereas methamphetamine, an easily manufactured drug of the 
     amphetamine group, is a powerful and addictive central 
     nervous system stimulant with long-lasting effects;
       Whereas the National Association of Counties found that 
     methamphetamine is the number 1 illegal drug problem for 47 
     percent of the counties in the United States, a higher 
     percentage than that of any other drug;
       Whereas 4 out of 5 county sheriffs report that, while local 
     methamphetamine production is down, methamphetamine abuse is 
     not (\1/2\ of the Nation's sheriffs report abuse of the drug 
     has stayed the same and nearly \1/3\ say that it has 
     increased);
       Whereas the highest rates of methamphetamine use among all 
     ethnic groups occur within Native American communities;
       Whereas the consequence of methamphetamine use by many 
     young adults in the Native American community has been death, 
     including methamphetamine-related suicides;
       Whereas crime related to methamphetamine abuse continues to 
     increase, with 55 percent of sheriffs reporting increases in 
     robberies and burglaries during the last year;
       Whereas most illegal methamphetamine available in the 
     United States is produced in large clandestine laboratories 
     in Mexico and smuggled into this country;
       Whereas methamphetamine labs are costly to clean up in that 
     every pound of methamphetamine produced can yield up to 5 
     pounds of toxic waste, representing a public danger to adults 
     and children;
       Whereas the profile of methamphetamine users is changing, 
     as \3/5\ of the Nation's sheriffs report increased 
     methamphetamine use by women and \1/2\ of the Nation's 
     sheriffs report increased use by teens;
       Whereas, in surveys on the abuse of methamphetamine among 
     teens, many of the respondents said that the drug was easy to 
     get and believed there is little risk in trying it;
       Whereas other National Association of Counties surveys have 
     shown that methamphetamine also places significant burdens on 
     local social service and health care resources, increasing 
     out-of-home placements for children, sending more people to 
     public hospital emergency rooms than any other drug, and 
     producing an ever-growing need for methamphetamine treatment 
     programs; and
       Whereas the establishment of a National Methamphetamine 
     Awareness month would increase awareness of methamphetamine 
     and educate the public on effective ways to help prevent 
     methamphetamine use at the Federal, State, and local levels: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates November 2007 as ``National Methamphetamine 
     Awareness Month'' to increase awareness of methamphetamine 
     abuse; and
       (2) encourages the people of the United States and 
     interested groups to observe National Methamphetamine 
     Awareness Month with appropriate educational programs and 
     outreach activities.

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