Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT
AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
JOINT HEARING

“COMPREHENSIVELY COMBATING METHAMPHETAMINES: IMPACTS ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT”

October 20, 2005

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing.

Methamphetamine, or “meth,” and its effects are dangerous and devastating. Methamphetamine-making operations have been uncovered in all 50 States. The total number of meth laboratory incidents in my home State of Michigan has increased dramatically in recent years. Last year 295 clandestine meth labs were discovered in Michigan, whereas nine years ago, only 10 labs were uncovered.

Federal estimates indicate that more than 12 million Americans have tried meth and 1.5 million are regular users. Police officers nationwide rank meth as the number one drug they battle today. In a survey of 500 law-enforcement agencies in 45 States released in July of 2005 by the National Association of Counties, 58 percent said meth is their biggest drug problem compared with 19 percent for cocaine. The ravages of meth use has affected our society perhaps more than any other drug in history. Meth addictions have dramatically increased the number of children placed in foster care, straining public health services, as well as increasing violent crimes. Volatile meth labs assembled in homes have resulted in explosions, which maim and kill not only those cooking the drug, but also their families. Users experience serious physical and mental health risks. And each pound of meth production also produces five pounds of toxic waste.

Fighting the war on drugs has never been an easy battle, nor are the solutions always straightforward. Many different proposals have been put forward, all with the intended goal of decreasing the amount of meth that is produced in the United States. Included in these proposals are recommendations to move certain over-the-counter drugs containing pseudophedrine, which is the key ingredient used in making meth, behind the counter. The expectation is that moving these pseudophedrine-containing products behind the counter will allow for better monitoring of who is buying excessive or frequent amounts of these drugs. Other proposals include recommendations to limit the number of pseudophedrine-containing products that any one individual can purchase, and recommendations to make pseudophedrine-containing products available by prescription only.

Many States have already adopted a variety of measures aimed at curbing meth production and distribution. Congress should look over these different proposals, seek guidance from experts in the field, and examine the efficacy of different State laws, so that we can make informed decisions about how best to move forward with Federal legislation in this area.

I thank all the witnesses for appearing before us today, and I again thank the Chairman for holding this important hearing.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)