23 November 2019 — 0711 mst
Note to William Barr: Mexico did not create
the demand for methamphetamine in Montana
At yesterday’s meeting on meth in Kalispell, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said meth use in Montana is rising because Mexico is producing the stimulant and shipping it north.
During his opening statements, Barr pinned much of the blame for the methamphetamine crisis on Mexico, where local and federal officials say much of the drug is coming from.
“We have to get Mexico to fight these drug cartels … They have totally lost control of their own country,” Barr said. “The head of this snake is outside of the United States and we have to stomp on it.” [Flathead Beacon]
Montana Attorney General Tim Fox agreed.
“We know now that we are not in the ‘Breaking Bad’ era of methamphetamine being cooked in trailers and houses and that kind of thing. It’s Mexican methamphetamine,” he said. “Until we get a handle on the source, we’re going to be fighting a losing cause.” [Daily InterLake]
So did Sen. Steve Daines:
Daines said meth-related crimes were up 690% from 2011-2017. He said the days of meth being made locally with “Sudafed and Draino” are over, as Mexican cartels are now distributing “95% pure” meth in Montana. He added that “Montana is a northern border state with a southern border crisis.” [Daily InterLake]
It was a pure example of the supply-side approach to reducing the incidence of drug use. Solve the problem by building Trump’s wall, thereby shutting off the supply of meth coming across the Mexican border. It’s an old argument. It’s also wrong. As long as there’s a demand for meth, the dopers and dealers will find a way to obtain it.
That’s because drug abuse is a demand-side problem. It’s a way of coping with social pathologies. Addressing the social pathologies is the most efficient way to reduce the demand.
Some local law enforcement leaders seemed to understand this despite the fixations of Barr, Daines, and Fox, on Mexico.
While local law enforcement generally agreed that stopping the drug from coming into the country would be helpful, they also said treatment and prevention resources are just as important locally.
“We cannot arrest our way out of this problem,” said Whitefish Police Chief Bill Dial. “We need prevention and treatment as well.”
In 2018, state budget cuts resulted in the Western Montana Mental Health Center closing down in Libby. Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short said the loss of that resource meant that some people in that community were “self-medicating” with drugs. Short said he has seen an increase in drug-related issues in the last year, and he believes it’s a result of the mental health center’s closing. [Flathead Beacon]
Pogo was right. We have met the enemy and it is us. It speaks English, not Spanish, and lives next door.