Monday, January 14, 2008

Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall Chairs Governor Napolitano’s Statewide Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force

PRESS RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Isabel Burruel-Smutzer
Executive Assistant to the Pima County Attorney
(520) 740-5622
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2007
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall Chairs
Governor Napolitano’s Statewide Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force
(Tucson, Arizona) On Wednesday and Thursday, January 10-11, 2007, Barbara LaWall,
Pima County Attorney, Chair of the Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force, and the
members of the Arizona Meth Task Force will lead more than 375 citizens and experts
from diverse backgrounds in a two-day planning summit in Mesa, Arizona to create an
effective, comprehensive statewide anti-methamphetamine plan.
The purpose of this two day hands-on working session is to provide an opportunity for
concerned citizens, methamphetamine task force and community coalition members to
come together for intensive coordinated strategic planning related to state meth issues.
This group will draft a comprehensive, effective and practical strategic action plan with
measurable outcomes and recommended action steps for implementation for dealing with
the prevention, reduction, treatment and enforcement of methamphetamine in Arizona.
The 27 member Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force has been meeting since
September 2006 to examine the problems, barriers and solutions to addressing Arizona’s
meth problem, both at the state and community levels. The Meth Task Force, comprised
of representatives from state agencies, local government, businesses and community
groups throughout Arizona (see attached list), convenes this summit to seek citizen
assistance in drafting specific recommendations to present to Governor Napolitano for
comprehensive solutions for a coordinated statewide strategy to combat this highly
addictive and devastating drug.
Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall said, “It is a privilege and an honor to chair this
statewide task force. It’s easy to complain and point out problems and what’s wrong. It’s
far more challenging to devise solutions to a complex problem like methamphetamine.
Our ultimate goal with this two day working summit is to create practical, doable,
workable solutions for the Governor so she can best allocate limited resources and most
effectively deal with the problems this devastating and highly addictive drug has created
across Arizona. ”
“Hospital admissions due to meth use have outpaced our ability to handle them. A
significant number of criminal cases handled by law enforcement and prosecution are
now related to meth use, and our children are severely impacted by this drug. As the local
leaders in prevention, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, it is the
responsibility of the Arizona Methamphetamine Task Force to identify and recommend
specific strategies and solutions to the Governor who has dedicated significant resources
to this issue, and declared her commitment to protecting the safety, health and welfare of
Arizona’s families and communities from the scourge of meth.”

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