[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 5888-5889]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            METHAMPHETAMINE

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the growing problem of meth has been 
particularly personal to me. As I have traveled across my home State of 
Tennessee, I have heard the heart-wrenching stories of how meth is 
tearing families apart and about the unique challenges that meth abuse 
presents to law enforcement and social services.
  I would like to commend Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Baucus 
of the Finance Committee for holding a hearing earlier today to discuss 
the social and economic impact of methamphetamine on our Nation's child 
welfare system.
  Law enforcement ranks the number one drug problem--above cocaine, 
marijuana, and heroin. I am proud that the Senate listened to law 
enforcement and that we acted earlier this year by passing the Combat 
Meth Act. Because of this legislation, meth users in all 50 States are 
now restricted from purchasing large quantities of ingredients, like 
pseudoephedrine, used to make meth. This law is a step in the right 
direction. However, as we heard today in the Finance hearing, there is 
much left to be done.
  One particular aspect of meth abuse that was addressed in the hearing 
today is the impact that this poisonous drug is having on our Nation's 
children. The hazards to children living in meth homes are numerous. 
First, when meth is being cooked, children are exposed to dangerous 
gases and hazardous waste which spread throughout the house, 
contaminating everything, including the children's clothes and toys. A 
recent study shows that the amount of exposure children living in meth 
lab homes have is about the same as if they were using meth directly. 
Secondly, these labs often explode, resulting in serious injuries, 
burns, and even death to innocent children.
  Children living in homes where meth is being made are also more 
likely to be severely neglected and physically, mentally, and sexually 
abused by members of their own family as well as other individuals who 
may be present. Meth causes users to become paranoid and irritable, 
often leading to child abuse. Once the drug wears off, users tend to 
sleep for long periods and sometimes days, leaving children to fend for 
themselves.
  One individual testifying today told the committee about a mother who 
was on a meth binge and literally forgot she had a baby. Child 
protective services was called when the woman did not pick up her 2-
month-old from a babysitter. Three weeks later when the mother was 
located, she admitted that she had been on a meth binge.
  Child welfare services throughout the Country have seen a sharp 
increase in the number of children removed from meth homes in the last 
several years. Two weeks ago in Knoxville, TN, a 18-month-old boy was 
rescued from a meth home when law enforcement raided the house and 
arrested his mother and her boyfriend for manufacturing meth. Sadly, 
this is just one example of a much larger problem.
  In the last 2 years, over 1,000 children have been removed from homes 
in Tennessee due to meth-related investigations. And, nationwide, 
thousands more children were rescued from homes where meth was being 
cooked. Dr. Nancy Young testified today that in the last 5 years, over 
15,000 children have been impacted by meth manufacturing nationwide. 
She added that this number was very low because many incidents go 
unreported.
  The methamphetamine epidemic continues to place a tremendous strain 
on an already overburdened child welfare system. Child protective 
services and welfare officials are struggling to cope with the 
staggering increase in meth-related cases and the subsequent challenges 
associated with this particular addiction. Social workers in rural 
areas, where meth use is particularly prevalent, are rarely trained to 
deal with the unique issues related to this drug. They put themselves 
into harm's way every time they go into a home to rescue a child, both 
because of the toxic chemicals to which they are exposed, as well as 
the combative and sometimes violent state of the addicted parents.
  As was highlighted by Chairman Grassley and Senator Baucus this 
morning, the current funding structure for America's child welfare 
system is outdated and ill-equipped to respond to

[[Page 5889]]

the challenges of the methamphetamine epidemic. We need to look at how 
we can better help States and communities respond to the spike in the 
number of meth-related child welfare cases, and I am pleased that the 
Finance Committee will continue to investigate the Federal role in 
healing children and families who are plagued by this dangerous and 
highly addictive drug.
  Again, I thank Chairman Grassley and Senator Baucus for holding the 
hearing today. And, I commend the individuals who shared their stories 
of recovery with the committee. From their testimony, we saw first hand 
that treatment can work. We heard that education about the devastating 
consequences of meth use can help to prevent potential users from going 
down this path of destruction. And, we learned that far too many of our 
Nation's children are being put at risk in homes where meth is being 
cooked.
  As we continue to address the important issue of combating 
methamphetamine abuse, we need to do more to protect America's 
children, to educate our citizens about the dangers of drug use, and to 
support effective drug abuse treatment methods.

                          ____________________