The site contains links to treatment programs, information on upcoming conferences and meth-related news from across the state and nation. Law-enforcement officials, healthcare professionals, journalists, educators and others can sign up to receive news alerts and legislative updates via email.
"With so many people and organizations focused on the war on meth, we need a central point to exchange vital information," Bredesen said. "We're proud to offer this site as a public service to all Tennesseans."
The governor said MethFreeTennessee.org is the "first step" in a broad public service campaign that will be developed to raise statewide awareness about the dangers of meth abuse and the hazards of manufacturing the deadly drug in clandestine laboratories.
Meth, a powerfully addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system, is produced in clandestine labs across Tennessee using relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that Tennessee now accounts for 75 percent of meth lab seizures in the Southeast. From October 2003 to August 2004, law nforcement authorities seized nearly 1,200 labs in the Volunteer State -- a 397 percent increase from 2000.
