NEWS from AROUND THE NATION from JTO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Workplace Study Finds Less Evidence of Methamphetamine Use An annual study by the largest drug- testing company in the U.S. found that 22 percent fewer workers tested positive for methamphetamine in 2007, leading drug czar John Walters to declare that cutting back on the availability of precursor drugs is cutting meth use rates. Quest Diagnostics reported that positive drug-test results for methamphetamine declined in every region of the U.S. except for the Northeast last year; separately, the Drug Enforcement Administration reported that seizures of illicit meth labs declined 31 percent in 2007. "When we are able to put strategic pressure on the supply of these drugs, what we're seeing is a direct effect for the better on the number of users that we can actually measure with drug tests," said John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. However, the Quest report found that positive tests for other types of amphetamines rose 5 percent, leading to speculation that some users may be substituting other kinds of stimulants for methamphetamine. Mexican-based "superlabs" have cranked out greater supplies of methamphetamine to make up for the drop in supply from U.S. -based meth labs, which have been impacted by new laws restricting sales of prescription medications containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which can be used to cook meth. The DEA, however, says that interdiction efforts have curtailed the supply of meth from Mexico, as well. "We for the first time on the meth front hear the traffickers themselves and informants report that there's a change," said DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart. "They are having a hard time getting the product out of Mexico." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ National Drug Control Strategy 2008 This report presents the 2008 National Drug Control Strategy of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. The goal of the President’s Strategy is to reduce drug use in America through a balanced approach that focuses on stopping use before it starts, healing America’s drug users, and disrupting the market for illegal drugs. Available as a PDF (1.14 MB) or order a print copy online. http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy. gov/publications/policy/ndcs08/index. html Publication Year: 2008 Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Executive Office of the President 750 17th Street, NW Washington, dc 20500 Phone: 202-395-6732 Website: http://www. whitehousedrugpolicy.gov Email: ondcp@ncjrs.org _______________________ 2008 Global Conference on Methamphetamine From: 2008 Global Conference on Methamphetamine Executive Program Committee luciano.colonna@globalmeth.com www.globalmethconference.com 2008 Global Conference on Methamphetamine: Science, Strategy, and Response September 15–16, 2008 Prague, Czech Republic The 1st global conference on methamphetamine has been organized in response to an emerging consensus among experts that methamphetamine use is a complex problem that presents a significant challenge to existing philosophies and strategies. While local and national communities are under siege by a perceived methamphetamine epidemic rush to pursue solutions, many facets of the problem remain to be discovered, examined, debated, illuminated and verified. It is in this spirit of discovery, discussion, and cooperation that this conference is being convened. As the first event to gather global experts from varied fields, with diverse and even sometimes divergent perspectives, the conference is assured to be an unparalleled event! Early registration for the 2008 global conference on methamphetamine is now open! Delegates are encouraged to register before June 1st, 2008 to qualify for the reduced pre-conference rate! For more information, including details on registration, hotel and travel, visit: www. globalmethconference.com Major and Concurrent Session Topics will include: Regional Updates / Pharmacology / Enforcement Programs / Clandestine Drug Cleanup / The Matrix Model of Treatment / Women and Methamphetamine / Latest Research / Health Consequences / Policy / Prosecution Issues / Trafficking / Toxicology / Innovative Interventions / Replacement Therapies / Prevention and Education / Hepatitis A, B, & C Virus / HIV Risk Behavior / Methamphetamine and Reproductive Health / Treatment / Youth and Use / Patterns of Use / Harm Reduction / Innovative Interventions / Use Among MSM / Trafficking / Community- based Coalitions / Injection Drug Use / Epidemiology Featured Speakers to include: Dr. Richard Rawson, UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Los Angeles Dr. Alex Wodak, MD Director, Alcohol and Drug Services Vincent's Hospital, Sydney Dr. Carl Hart, Professor, Neuroscience Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York Andreas Plüddemann, Senior Scientist, Alcohol & Drug Abuse Research Unit Medical, Cape Town Prof. Lin Lu, MD, PhD Director of National Institute of Drugs and Development, Beijing Dr Apinun Aramrattana, MD, PhD Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Donald Rothenbaum, Senior Vice President, Network Environmental Systems, San Diego Kasia Malinowska-Sempruch, Director, Open Society's Institute's Global Drug Policy Program, Warsaw Prof. Evgeny Krupitsky, MD, PhD Chief, Department of Addiction at St. Petersburg Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Petersburg Dr. Tomas Zabransky, MD, PhD Research and Development Manager Centre for Addictology, Charles University, Prague Dr. Michael Siever, Director, The Stonewall Project, San Francisco Caitlin Padgett, Coordinator and Founder of Youth R.I.S.E., Vancouver Dr. Gady Zabicky, MD Advisor, Centro Nacional para la Prevención y Control del VIH/SIDA (CENSIDA), Mexico City. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~---- Georgia Prison Population Explodes Because of Meth This Join Together brief reveals overcrowding in Georgia prisons, the fastest growing prison population in the U.S., attributed to the meth problem. It mentioned that 80% of convicted felons were selling or under the influence of meth when they committed their crimes. http://www.jointogether. org/news/headlines/inthenews/2007/meth- blamed-for-georgia.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Strict Anti-Meth Laws in Oregon This brief from Join Together discusses the strict anti-meth legislation in Oregon in place for the past two years, and the subsequent consequences. While the laws significantly reduced the mom-and-pop domestic meth lab This story from Join Together is complete. Overcoming Crystal Meth Addiction: An Essential Guide to Getting Clean Author: Steven J. Lee In this book -- one of the few to address the topic for a general audience -- Dr. Steven Lee, MD, a psychiatrist who specializes in crystal meth addiction, offers a complete guide to the drug, its effects, and how to overcome it. Based on extensive scientific and social research and drawing from his professional experience, Dr. Lee covers everything from the definition and history of crystal meth to the physical and psychological effects; from dealing with the addictive personality to helping a friend or family member cope with it. He focuses on understanding rather than outright condemnation of the drug, and empathetically covers all of the crucial questions: What is crystal meth? How is it made? How does it affect the body? How do you know if you're addicted to it? How do you stop using it? What if you don't want to stop? If you are going to use CM anyway, how can you minimize the damage? What if you quit but slipped and used again? Available at Amazon.com or in bookstores. (Purchases from Amazon.com that originate on this website benefit Join Together. More info) Publication Year: 2006 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This article from Join Together Online discusses a new study revealing a higher rate of violence and sexual risk-tasking among meth users, as well as higher levels of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. http://www.jointogether. org/news/research/pressreleases/2007/meth- users-involved-in.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This brief from Join Together reflects a new report from NIDA that has revised the estimate of meth use among young adults to a higher number than originally thought. http://www.jointogether. org/news/research/summaries/2007/nida-revises- meth-use.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Many Women's Alcohol Problems Elude Diagnosis Women with alcohol problems may be underdiagnosed because their symptoms can differ from men's, a new study suggests. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **************************** |

