Senate Indian Affairs Committee meth hearing

Indianz.com

The Senate Indian Affairs Committee is holding its first-ever hearing on methamphetamine amid growing concern about the drug's impact on Indian Country.

Tribal leaders across the nation say their communities have been hit hard by meth, a synthetic drug often imported from Mexico but also made in labs on reservations. The Navajo Nation, the largest tribe in the U.S., reported a 100 percent increase in meth-related arrests in the last five years. Meth and drug trafficking rings have been broken up on tribal lands in Oklahoma, Wyoming and South Dakota.

The National Congress of American Indians launched an anti-meth initiative last month to address the problem. NCAI President Joe Garcia urged tribes to strengthen their drugs laws, called on the White House to form a partnership with tribes and sought Congressional hearings.

The Bush administration has responded by announcing funding for the Methamphetamine Investigation Training for Tribal Law Enforcement. The program will provide training to tribes for meth investigations.

Meanwhile, the Senate will hold its hearing, entitled "The Problem of Methamphetamine in Indian Country," on Wednesday morning. For more information, visit the committee website at http://indian.senate.gov.