Whereas, Methamphetamine is a dangerous and highly addictive illegal drug that has devastated hundreds of thousands of lives around the nation, and in the last few years, its abuse has been dramatically increasing in Michigan; and,

Whereas, Methamphetamine production in Michigan has increased over 550 percent since 2000, with new chemicals and methods enabling clandestine laboratory operators to increase product purity and domestic production and as a result of the proliferation of clandestine Methamphetamine labs, the public and the environment are increasingly exposed to the dangers of explosions, toxic chemicals, and other lethal by-products of illicit drug manufacturing; and,

Whereas, Children are being increasingly affected by their parents and caregiver’s Methamphetamine use and addiction, and children have been neglected, abused, and removed from their homes due to this drug; and,

Whereas, The Michigan State Police Methamphetamine Team has been working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Michigan High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Office of Drug Control Policy and local law enforcement agencies throughout the state in a concentrated effort to combat the growing problems associated with Methamphetamine production and use; and,

Whereas, Many local communities in Michigan have banded together to deal with this problem and have provided valuable input and effort to all of our partners; and,

Whereas, A State of Michigan Drug Endangered Children (DEC) protocol is currently being developed to protect children found in dangerous drug environments and this involves a multi-disciplinary approach, with stakeholders including law enforcement and other first responders, child protective services and foster care, prosecutors, probation/parole, medical professionals, local and state health and environmental professionals, courts, schools, and mental health professionals; and,

Whereas, The State Methamphetamine Task Force has been working with the administration diligently since 2002 to develop many proactive initiatives aimed at this problem, including:  Meth Watch, SAMHSA Meth Prevention Grant, Methamphetamine Legislation, Targeted Methamphetamine Enforcement Initiatives, Public Service Announcements, Awareness and Education Campaigns, and DEC Protocol; and,

Whereas, The State of Michigan has developed a comprehensive and unified statewide plan by which we can measurably reduce and eliminate the threat of this dangerous and highly addictive drug; and now therefore now be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim May 2006, as Methamphetamine Awareness Month, and I encourage all citizens to join efforts to prevent Methamphetamine abuse and manufacture, and to make support and treatment available for those who need our help in combating this destructive drug.