Washington, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) and fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine invited John Walters, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to brief members of the Caucus today on the Administration’s Synthetic Drug Control Strategy which was release June 1st.  The Synthetic Strategy is a companion to the President’s National Drug Control Strategy, but it focuses solely on methamphetamine and prescription drugs.  It sets specific three year goals to reduce meth use and production across the country. 

“As co-chair of the Congressional Meth Caucus, I have worked to engage the Office of National Drug Control Policy on the growing problem of methamphetamine in my district and across the nation.  I have urged the administration to show the same amount of urgency and commitment to solving the meth problem that our state and local communities have shown for years.

“I am pleased that ONDCP listened to Congress and created a formal strategy to address the growing threat of methamphetamine in our country.  The Synthetic Drug Control Strategy shows that the Administration is starting to take this battle seriously.  This is a step in the right direction, but much work remains to be done.

“The Synthetic Drug Control Strategy affirms that state and local partners are crucial to successfully reducing the use of methamphetamine in the United States, however the administration continues to cut funding for programs that are vital to local communities’ efforts to fight meth. 

“Today, I raised this concern with the Drug Czar.  I asked Mr. Walters, as the president’s drug policy advisor, why the current administration continuously proposes eliminating programs like Byrne-Justice Assistance Grants, that are vital to local law enforcement efforts to combat meth.

“As the Synthetic Strategy rightfully sings the praises of state and local law enforcement, I urged the administration to provide the resources these local partners need to successfully meet the goals of the Strategy.

“We cannot continue to cut the legs out from under our state and local communities who work so hard to combat methamphetamine,” said Larsen.

Congressman Larsen is a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine. This bipartisan Caucus works to raise national awareness of the dangers posed by meth abuse and to advance strong public policy to fight against meth manufacturing, distribution, and use.

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