Introduction
Chairman Souder, Ranking Member Cummings, and distinguished members of the
Subcommittee:
I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the problem of
methamphetamine in America. While all of the five major drugs—marijuana, cocaine,
methamphetamine, ecstasy, and heroin—pose their own distinctive threat to this nation,
methamphetamine is unique in the type and extent of damage it causes to both the user and the
community. The attendant consequences of methamphetamine—not merely the terrible toll that
methamphetamine use takes on a person’s body and mind, but the increase in criminal activity,
environmental and economic harm, and danger to children that are exposed to methamphetamine
use and production—make it a significant drug threat.
My testimony today contains two parts. First, I will briefly outline the extent of the
methamphetamine problem, including what we know about who is using it, how it effects the
user, where it comes from, and the impact on local communities, including the lasting impact of
toxic methamphetamine labs. Second, I will describe the government’s approach to
methamphetamine within the context of the President’s National Drug Control Strategy. Much
of the burden of tackling methamphetamine falls on the shoulders of state and local agencies, so
I will also address federal support of state and local governments.
