NCJ Number
180155
Date Published
January 2000
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This final report by the Methamphetamine Interagency Task Force sets out guiding principles, recommendations, and suggests research needed for the control of methamphetamine use, production, and distribution in the United States.
Abstract
Part 1 of the report offers a summary of the methamphetamine problem in the United States and introduces the Methamphetamine Task Force and its guiding principles. Methamphetamine is a synthetic psychostimulant that has been associated with long- and short-term problems such as brain damage, cognitive impairment, memory loss, stroke, anorexia, and paranoia. The current goal of the Task Force is to examine available data pertaining to methamphetamine production, use, and distribution in an effort to formalize a comprehensive national action plan for limiting its use, production, and distribution. Part 2 of the report reviews prevention and education efforts. Guiding principles for prevention and education campaigns are described, as are specific recommendations for formal prevention programs. Among the guiding principles is the observation that any effective drug prevention program requires the involvement of multiple community stakeholders, including educators, parents, law enforcement officials, and business leaders. Recommendations include identifying the changing population of users for targeted intervention strategies. Part 3 offers guiding principles and recommendations regarding the treatment of methamphetamine users. Treatment should be offered as part of a continuum of care and outreach efforts should be effective and should target those populations known to be at high-risk for methamphetamine abuse. Part 4 discusses the law enforcement response to the methamphetamine problem and suggests ways that law enforcement can curb methamphetamine markets and supplies. Recommendations include improving information sharing across jurisdictions and expanding collaborations with social services agencies and public health officials. Part 5 discusses the themes that emerged when the Task Force met in November of 1999, and part 6 offers concluding remarks. Appendix A lists the Task Force members while appendix B offers a chronology of the Task Force meetings. Finally, appendix C shows the Federal Register Announcement of the creation of the Methamphetamine Interagency Task Force.