U.S. Attorney Tom Monaghan recently announced that Nebraska lead the nation, in 1997, for methamphetamine cases prosecuted in federal courts.

Nebraska drug task forces made a total of 714 methamphetamine arrests last year, compared to 218 in 1996. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the Nebraska State Patrol, local police agencies and other entities make up the task forces.

Last year the Omaha task force seized more than 25,000 grams of methamphetamine, compared with 15,000 grams of cocaine.

Rural Nebraska has had a severe methamphetamine problem for several years. The increasing number of arrests, and court cases, is mainly attributed to increased use in urban areas.

Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive drug that gives the user elevated alertness. The drug is used by several different segments of our society. Teenagers, fashion models and dieters may take it as an appetite suppressant. Athletes have used the drug for its energy jolt. Those involved in the transportation industry, including truck drivers and railroad workers, have been known to use methamphetamine to stay awake.

The increase in methamphetamine use can be partly attributed to a decrease in the supply of cocaine in recent years. Contributing factors of the drugs popularity would include the ease in manufacturing it, and the longevity of its effects.

Small methamphetamine laboratories have been found on regular bases in our neighboring states of Iowa and Missouri. There are indications that an increasing number of labs are popping up in our state, but the majority of Nebraska's meth is brought into the state from Mexico and California.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy lists the following tidbits of information on methamphetamine.

• Meth users are the most difficult to treat of all drug users.
• Meth kills by causing heart failure, brain damage and stroke.
• Meth induced paranoia has led to numerous suicides and murders.
• Meth use increases risk of domestic violence and child neglect/abuse.
• Meth lab seizures in the Midwest increased tenfold from 1995 to 1997.
• Meth production leaves behind 5 to 6 pounds of toxic waste for every pound manufactured.
• Meth cookers on average teach ten others how to produce.
• Meth accounts for as much as 90 percent of all drug cases in several Midwest communities.
• Meth use among high school seniors more than doubled between 1990 & 1995.
• Meth is more popular with females than cocaine.

During 1997 traffic fatalities involving alcohol fell to their lowest level since the government began keeping records in 1975.

Preliminary data from accident reports completed in all 50 states, and the District of Columbia, indicate that 42,000 people died on U.S. roads in 1997. Overall accident deaths were down slightly from the 1996 total of 42,065. The final report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be released later this month.

For the first time in recorded history alcohol-related fatalities fell below 40 percent. There were 16,520 alcohol-related traffic deaths (39.3%) in 1997.

Despite an increased amount of driving, spurred by the improved economy and lower gas prices, fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled remained steady at 1.7.

During the first week of April The Nebraska DRE sent out a request, via the National DRE e-mail service, asking Drug Recognition Experts from around country what drugs they are seeing most frequently in their evaluations. In the May edition of the newsletter several DRE's responses were printed. The following edited replies have been received since then. The random sample is not scientific, and is intended to provide readers information on drug trends around the nation.

The most current trend is heroin that is diluted in water and kept in Visine type bottles. The liquid appears light brown and is consumed by squirting it into the nasal passages, eyes and mouth. The onset of signs and symptoms are pretty consistent with the more conventional methods of ingestion. The same administration technique has been seen with methamphetamine and cocaine, but in those cases the water is nearly clear. It is not sold on the streets in the eye dropper fashion yet but is used as an 'after sale' method of concealment. The GHB is still being seen in Avian, Crystal Geyser and most other water containers.

I'm attaching a copy of a statistic sheet I made for the District Attorney when he had to give a community speech two months ago. I've done 7 more evals since then, 5 cannabis, 1 cannabis/narcotic analgesic, and 1 narcotic analgesic alone. The two boys with the heroin were the same as all the rest, 18 - 21 years old!

Attachment Breakdown:
57 Cannabis; 10 Narcotic Analgesics; 7 Depressants; 4 Stimulants & 1 Hallucinogen. Seven of those 10 narcotic analgesic impaired operators were arrested in the past 8 months. All young men between 18 and 22 years old. All injecting or snorting heroin.

One combo included a driver abusing 7 different types of depressants & narcotic analgesics at the same time.

The two day Pre-School will be October 14 & 15, 1998.

The Seven Day School will be October 21-23 & October 26-29, 1998.