Cherokees say “not in 

our nation” to meth labs

TSWAN Fights 

Mobile Meth Labs

Funding Opportunities 

for meth prevention and 

cleanup programs

Issue 6 | June 2008 | EPA530-N-08-001

Methamphetamine: 

Threatening the Health 

and Environment of 

Tribal Communities
Inside

issue 6 june 2008

3 Methamphetamine: 

Threatening the health 

and environment of 

tribal communities

 Learn about the hazards 

associated with this 

dangerous drug.

5 Meth Lab 

Identification

 Find out how to 

identify a meth lab 

in your community.

7 Cherokees Say 

“Not in our nation” 

to meth labs

 Cherokees fight meth 

one lab at a time.

10 TSWAN Fights 

Mobile Meth Labs

 Nonprofit alliance confronts 

a growing trend.

12 Funding Opportunities 

for Meth Prevention 

and Cleanup Programs

 Find out about programs 

to fund meth lab cleanup 

and training. 

15 General Meth 

Information

 Visit these websites 

for more information.

17 Caution Your Kids

 Learn how to help your 

kids stay meth-free.
A Tribal 

challenge

What is 

methamphetamine (meth)?

Meth is a stimulant drug 

that releases high levels of 

dopamine, which can create 

an intense high lasting up 

to 36 hours. Because of 

this intense high, meth is 

extremely addictive. Meth 

can be ingested several 

ways, including orally as a pill, 

injection with a syringe, or 

through wet or dry injection. 

While meth, an illegal drug, is 

the most common name for 

this drug, it also is known by 

several other names, including 

crystal meth, glass, and speed.

How is meth made?

Unlike drugs such as marijuana, 

cocaine, and heroin, which are 

derived from plants, meth can 

be manufactured using a variety 

of store-bought products such 

as cold medications containing 

ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, drain cleaners containing sulfuric or muriatic acid, 

antifreeze, denatured alcohol, 

and lantern fuel. Meth is often 

manufactured, or “cooked,” in 

very crude laboratories. Many of 

these labs are simple operations 

that do not require sophisticated 

equipment. The individuals who 

cook meth usually lack formal 

training in chemistry. They may 

not realize the harm that they 

may be causing to themselves 

or others, as well as to the environment. Cooking meth may 

be considered to be relatively 

simple, but is very dangerous 

and toxic. 

Methamphetamine: Threatening 

the Health and Environment of 

Tribal Communities

Methamphetamine use is a growing problem in the United States and Indian 

Country. Once seen as only a rural issue in Western states, labs used to produce 

meth are multiplying throughout the nation and are becoming a major public health 

and environmental concern for many communities.

Tribal Waste Journal

3

Close-up photograph of ice 

methamphetamine. 

Photo provided courtesy of the 

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Where are meth labs found?

Meth labs can be found in 

many everyday settings such 

as private residences, trailers, 

campgrounds, hotel rooms, 

and vehicles.

What risks do meth labs 

pose to human health and 

the environment? 

The production of meth 

requires numerous ingredients 

that can pose a significant 

hazard to human health and 

the environment during the 

cooking process, when labs 

are abandoned, or when meth 

cookers improperly dispose of 

the lab wastes. For example:

•	Exposure to the chemicals 

used to cook meth or 

the waste from cooking 

meth can lead to chemical 

burns, shortness of breath, 

damage to the central 

nervous system, headaches, 

vomiting, confusion, and, in 

some cases, death. 

•	Cooking meth poses a 

high danger of explosion 

because volatile, unstable 

compounds are mixed, 

usually without the proper 

safety equipment. 

•	Waste from meth labs that 

is improperly disposed of 

can contaminate groundwater and wells; kill plants; 

and harm aquatic life and 

animals.

How is meth affecting Indian 

Country? Why is meth a 

particular challenge in Indian 

Country?

Meth is having a significant 

impact in Indian Country. 

According to the National 

Congress of American Indians, 

Native Americans experience 

some of the highest rates of 

use and abuse of meth in the 

country. In some rural communities, up to 30 percent 

of tribal members have been 

reported as abusing meth. 

Tribal police have recognized 

the seriousness of this 

problem, and many report 

that meth is the greatest drug 

threat to their communities. 

They also report that up to 

40 percent of violent crime in 

Indian Country involves meth. 

For more information on 

meth in Indian Country, visit 

www.ncai.org/ncai/Meth/

Meth_in_Indian_Country_

and_Creative_Tribal_Solutions_

July.pdf. 

 Methamphetamine is a 

 problem, infiltrating 

and devastating

 communities.

Tribal Waste Journal

4

Photograph of ice meth and pipe.

Photos provided courtesy of the 

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. 

www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm

Photograph of meth in pill form.

Photograph of meth in powder form.
Meth Lab Identification

Because of the potential hazards posed to human health and the environment by 

meth labs, it is important that everyone is able to identify the signs that a home, 

vehicle, or other facility is or has been used as a meth lab. The following is a list of 

what to look for and how to identify a meth lab in your community:

Being 

aware

Location 

•	Meth labs can be found in 

every type of location and 

property (including rural and 

urban areas and in tenant 

or owner-occupied properties, such as apartment 

complexes, single-family 

homes, hotels, vehicles, 

mobile storage units, 

and trailers).

•	Residences housing meth 

labs often have windows 

covered with curtains or 

aluminum foil. Structures 

such as garages or sheds 

may also be used. 

•	The property might have 

frequent visitors, especially 

at unusual times of the day. 

•	Many meth labs also 

include extensive security 

measures or attempts to 

ensure privacy, such as “No 

Trespassing” or “Beware of 

Dog” signs, fences, or large 

trees or shrubs.

•	The residents may be 

secretive or unfriendly.

•	Mobile meth labs may 

involve stealing cars, moving 

them to obscure locations to 

cook meth for a few hours, 

and then abandoning them.

Common Ingredients 

and Supplies

•	The chemicals used to cook 

meth vary, but typically 

include ephedrine or pseudoephedrine (the ingredient 

found in some cold and 

allergy medications). Watch 

for excessive numbers 

of empty cold or allergy 

medicine containers.

•	Other commonly used 

chemicals in meth production include drain cleaners 

(containing sulfuric or 

muriatic acid), antifreeze, 

denatured alcohol, and 

lantern fuel.

Photograph of an active meth lab 

discovered in a home.

Tribal Waste Journal

5
•	Watch for the supplies that 

meth cookers require and 

may bring into the lab, such 

as heat sources (hot plates, 

Bunsen burners, or propane 

cylinders); glass cookware; 

frying pans; coffee filters; 

and plastic tubing. When the 

cookware and frying pans 

are disposed of, they may 

contain a powdery residue, 

while the coffee filters may 

have red stains. 

•	Other supplies often used and 

found in meth labs include 

lithium batteries (usually 

stripped), soft silver or gray 

metallic ribbon (in chunk form) 

stored in oil or kerosene, and 

propane tanks with fittings 

that have turned blue. 

All of the items listed above 

are easily obtainable at most 

local grocery, pharmacy, and/or 

hardware stores. Employees 

of these establishments 

should watch for individuals 

buying these materials in any 

quantities over what would be 

typical for a household.

Unusual Sights and Odors 

•	If meth is being cooked in 

a home or other type of 

building, the walls may be 

stained brown or otherwise 

discolored.

•	Production of meth will 

often result in strong, 

offensive odors, such as the 

smell of ether, ammonia, 

or acetone. Quite often the 

odor will smell similar to cat 

urine or fingernail polish.

Excessive Waste 

•	Look for large quantities of 

waste or garbage, including 

empty medicine containers, 

coffee filters, duct tape rolls, 

lantern fuel, paint thinner, 

acetone, starter fluid, lye, 

and drain cleaners.

If you discover a home or 

other facility featuring one or 

more of these characteristics, 

it does not necessarily mean 

that the location is being used 

to cook meth. However, if 

the activities you observe at 

a particular location lead you 

to suspect that someone is 

running a meth lab, do not 

attempt to enter the building 

or vehicle or touch any debris. 

Instead, contact local law 

enforcement immediately to 

let them know what you have 

found so they can determine 

the best steps to deal with 

the situation.

Tribal Waste Journal

6

 Methamphetamine has 

 devastating impacts

on human health and

 the environment.

Photograph of an active meth lab 

discovered in a hotel room.

Photograph of a meth lab 

discovered in a rural location.
History

In late 2002, CNEP received 

a request from the Cherokee 

Nation Housing Authority 

(CNHA) to investigate a 

potential meth lab in a home 

owned and managed by the 

Authority. Before undertaking the investigation, CNEP

officials received training 

on methods used to assess 

clandestine drug labs from 

the Oregon Department of 

Human Services. Following 

the training in 2003, staff from 

CNEP, led by Environmental 

Specialist Wayne Isaacs, 

assessed the home first cited 

by CNHA. Mr. Isaacs and his 

staff had previous experience 

identifying and assessing 

hazardous materials, having 

worked in the Cherokee Nation 

Superfund and Brownfields 

programs.

The following year, the 

U.S. Department of Justice 

provided funding to CNEP to 

purchase equipment for investigating meth labs and to hold 

a regional meth conference in 

Tulsa, Oklahoma, partnering 

with the Oklahoma Bureau 

of Narcotics. In addition, 

CNEP began a community 

education initiative to help 

tribal members understand 

meth, its harmful effects, and 

the dangers posed to human 

health and the environment by 

meth labs.

Cherokee 

Nation

Cherokees Say 

“Not in Our Nation” to Meth Labs

Several years ago, the Cherokee Nation formulated the policy of “Not in Our Nation” to 

characterize their efforts against the illicit production and use of methamphetamine (meth) 

within their communities. These efforts combine a training program and community-oriented 

activities. The purpose of the community-oriented activities is to empower communities 

with the necessary resources to properly address the devastation that this menace creates. 

Meth, unlike other illegal drugs, is unique because it creates a toxic legacy of contaminated 

properties. To address this concern, the Cherokee Nation Environmental Programs (CNEP) 

division developed a clandestine drug laboratory assessment initiative. 

Tribal Waste Journal

7

The current flag of the Cherokee Nation.
The initiative came about 

largely because of support 

from the Cherokee Nation’s 

governing officials. Tribal 

officials helped form a multiagency task force to combat 

the meth problem. The task 

force met frequently to 

create a plan to address the 

issue. In 2005, officials also 

helped form the Cherokee 

Nation Anti-Meth Coalition, 

composed of representatives 

from behavioral health, tribal 

law enforcement, housing 

authority, environmental 

programs, administration, child 

welfare, social services, and 

public relations. The Coalition 

does much of its work in local 

communities by educating the 

public about meth and empowering residents to support and 

implement meth prevention 

and awareness programs.

In addition to its role in the 

Anti-Meth Coalition, CNEP

has conducted numerous site 

assessments at former and 

abandoned meth labs. The 

assessments are supported 

with funds from the U.S. 

Department of Housing 

and Urban Development, 

authorized under the Native 

American Housing and SelfDetermination Act.

CNEP Site Assessments

The main focus of CNEP’s 

site assessments is to ensure 

that no residual meth production chemicals remain at the 

site, including the house and 

its surrounding environment. 

Before CNEP performs the 

site assessment, the tribal 

law enforcement department identifies and decides 

whether a meth lab has been 

present. This typically results 

in the U.S. Drug Enforcement 

Agency providing access to a 

hazardous waste contractor 

who removes the waste. 

Once the waste is removed, 

CNEP performs its site assessment by taking the following 

steps: (1) Performing a preliminary site investigation; (2) Taking 

samples and sending them to 

a lab for analysis; (3) Receiving 

the sample results to see which 

contaminants are still present 

and where they are located; 

(4) Reporting all findings 

along with decontamination 

procedures to CNHA; and 

(5) Performing a clearance test 

after the site has been cleaned 

to ensure no contamination 

remains and the house can 

once again be safely inhabited.

CNEP’s Training Program

In 2006, with the knowledge 

gained from completing 

numerous site assessments 

over the past several years, 

and with support from the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CNEP

developed and organized a 

training course, “Meth Lab 

Hazard Assessment,” to 

assist other tribes with conducting site investigations. 

Until recently, due to funding 

limitations, CNEP was only 

able to teach this course in EPA

Region 6–Arkansas, Louisiana, 

New Mexico, Oklahoma, and 

Texas. However, through a 

recently awarded EPA Brownfields grant, CNEP will be able 

to provide the training across 

the country. CNEP hopes to 

conduct the training in the 

spring of 2008 and is currently 

conducting research to ensure 

that information presented 

in the training is up to date. 

CNEP also intends to allocate 

more staff to assist with the 

increased training needs. 

When conducted across the 

nation, the course will likely 

follow a “train-the-trainer” 

approach. It will include case 

studies and other “hands-on” 

activities to educate tribes on 

how to assess potential meth 

labs. CNEP is working with 

the Inter-Tribal Environmental 

Council (ITEC) to disseminate information about the 

training. ITEC is composed of 

40 member tribes, with the 

Cherokee Nation serving in a 

leadership capacity. The ITEC 

website (www.itecmembers

.org) will feature updates 

on the status of the training 

program and when training will 

be available throughout the 

United States.

Meth in Indian Country

The Cherokee Nation has been 

able to successfully decrease 

drug use, primarily by working 

with elders and children. Much 

of this work has been accomplished by visiting community 

members and schools to 

educate young people about 

the dangers of meth use and 

production.

Explosion and fire damage 

caused by the volatile chemicals 

used in a meth lab.

Tribal Waste Journal

8
Tribal Waste Journal

9

According to Mr. Isaacs, 

CNEP’s environmental specialist, production of meth in 

small “mom and pop” labs has 

declined significantly in recent 

years. Much of this decline 

is due to the new federal 

and state laws that regulate 

the purchase of some of the 

main ingredients necessary 

to produce meth. Oklahoma, 

home to the Cherokee 

Nation, was the first state 

to implement such laws and 

had them in place prior to any 

federal regulation.

While there is a significant 

decline in new meth labs 

due to the new regulation, 

meth production is moving to 

fewer, larger labs, and many 

smaller, rural labs are being 

abandoned. These abandoned 

sites have become a significant risk to human health and 

the environment.

For instance, according to 

statements by Mr. Isaacs, 

between 1999 and 2004 

alone, there were 4,219 meth 

lab incidents reported in 

Oklahoma. However, many 

people suspect that this 

number is lower than the 

actual number due to underreporting. Local law enforcement agencies believe there 

are as many as 10 unreported 

illegal sites for every one 

that is reported. In addition, 

authorities have stated that 

not only is identifying the 

number of labs difficult, but 

determining whether they are 

located on tribal lands, and 

hence under tribal jurisdiction, 

is also an issue.

Nevertheless, according 

to the Oklahoma State 

Bureau of Investigation, 

meth lab seizures have risen 

577 percent nationally since 

1995.1 Oklahoma meth cases 

have increased more than 

8,000 percent since 1994,2

according to the Bureau.

Challenges 

CNEP has overcome 

numerous obstacles in its 

efforts to cleanup abandoned 

meth labs and prevent the use 

of meth by members of the 

Cherokee Nation. The tribe, 

however, still faces many challenges related to the misconceptions surrounding meth 

and former meth lab sites. 

For example, many people 

believe that houses that once 

served as meth labs must be 

demolished instead of being 

cleaned and re-inhabited. This 

is true in only a few cases. In 

many cases, contractors can 

decontaminate a home so that 

it no longer poses a threat to 

human health and the environment. Educating people 

about this issue is challenging. Part of CNEP’s mission 

is to ensure that people not 

only understand the dangers 

posed by abandoned meth 

labs, but that they also realize 

that once cleaned, a house 

no longer poses a threat to its 

inhabitants or the surrounding 

environment.

Mr. Isaacs says another 

misconception is that meth 

labs produce a large amount 

of hazardous waste. In fact, 

most meth labs only produce 

moderate amounts of 

hazardous waste. The threat 

occurs when people dump 

this waste in their backyards 

or nearby streams, potentially 

spreading contamination into 

the surrounding environment 

and local drinking water sources.

The Cherokee Nation is 

working effectively against 

meth production and use and 

has made significant progress 

toward supporting efforts to 

eliminate meth from its lands 

by saying, “Not in Our Nation.” 

If your tribe would like more 

information on this issue or 

on CNEP’s upcoming training, 

visit www.itecmembers.org 

or contact:

Wayne Isaacs

Cherokee Nation 

Environmental Programs

(918) 453-5359 office

(918) 453-2904 fax

wisaacs@cherokee.org

A Cherokee employee performing 

a site assessment of a meth lab.

Photo provided courtesy of the 

Cherokee Nation. www.cherokee.org

1 “Cherokee Nation Methamphetamine Lab Assessment,” National Forum on Tribal Environmental Science, Sept. 24–29, 2007, Quinault Beach Resort and Casino, Ocean Shores, WA. 

2 Ibid.
In the Pacific Northwest and 

Alaska, tribes and native 

villages are responding to the 

problem of mobile meth labs 

with the help of the Tribal 

Solid Waste Advisory Network 

(TSWAN), a nonprofit alliance. 

TSWAN, which focuses on 

effective and environmentally responsible solid waste 

management on tribal lands, 

has added mobile meth lab 

cleanups to its list of priorities. 

TSWAN focuses on training 

solid waste and public works 

personnel on hazard identification, as these types of workers 

are often the ones to discover 

the meth labs.

A New Kind of Trespassing

Mobile meth labs are created 

when people, typically nontribal members, drive onto 

tribal land, park their cars in 

the woods or on the shoulders 

of roads, cook meth for a few 

hours in the vehicles, and then 

abandon the cars or dump 

their cooking supplies in the 

woods or on the roadside. In 

many cases, the meth cookers 

have stolen the vehicles, 

which is why they are willing 

to abandon them.

According to Kami Snowden, 

TSWAN’s executive director, 

a related problem has arisen 

in Alaska, primarily in native 

villages located in areas not 

connected to the main Alaskan 

road system. These remote 

areas are more readily accessible by plane. As a result, 

meth cookers fly into a native 

village and cook meth for a 

few hours. Once done, the 

cookers abandon the site and 

simply fly back out.

Ms. Snowden states that 

many tribes and law enforcement agencies focus on 

preventing meth use. The idea 

TSWAN Fights 

Mobile Meth Labs

A trend is emerging in Indian Country. Mobile meth labs—primarily cars 

and trucks, often stolen—are being found on reservations. Meth producers 

are drawn to the area by the rural setting and the knowledge that they are 

entering a tribal jurisdiction.

 tswan

Vast acres of land in the Pacific 

Northwest make it attractive to 

meth producers. 

Tribal Waste Journal

10
of targeting abandoned meth 

lab sites and training officials 

on how to identify these sites 

is relatively new and just 

now receiving attention. In 

particular, public works and 

solid waste staff often lack 

training on how to identify 

mobile meth labs. 

For example, during a recent 

visit to a reservation near Seattle, Washington, Ms. Snowden was traveling with 

a resident on a road where 

workers had recently cleaned 

up some debris. Ms. Snowden 

learned that the workers had 

picked up bottles filled with 

what appeared to be urine 

along with other debris on 

the side of the road, and that 

the workers were sniffing the 

contents to identify them. According to Ms. Snowden, 

this was probably not trash 

but leftover items from a 

mobile meth lab; at the time 

the workers did not know this 

and risked being injured by the 

dangerous chemicals. The methods used to make 

meth have changed over time, 

as ingredients have become 

regulated and harder to obtain. 

For example, as the sale of 

ephedrine and pseudoephed-

rine has become strictly 

regulated, many meth cookers 

have switched to using 

red lye, which is extremely 

hazardous to human health 

and the environment and 

can be found readily at any 

neighborhood hardware store. This has increased the risk to 

workers when identifying or 

assessing these sites. 

Initial Response

When a mobile meth lab is 

discovered in Indian Country, 

tribal law enforcement is 

often notified. They in turn 

may call in federal officials to 

assist, because an incident 

taking place on tribal lands 

could potentially involve both 

tribal and federal authorities. According to Ms. Snowden, 

this is an effective response, 

but it can raise questions about 

who is ultimately responsible 

for the cleanup of the site. Tribal officials have gone to 

varying lengths to develop 

plans to prevent mobile meth 

labs from appearing on tribal 

lands and thereby avoiding 

the need for site cleanup all 

together. Physically stopping 

traffickers from coming onto 

reservations can prove to be 

difficult because most reservations have many roads and 

points of entry. In addition, 

some reservations encompass 

vast areas of land but have 

few tribal law enforcement 

officers to monitor the area. Also, traffickers may know they 

cannot be followed onto tribal 

lands by local and/or state law 

enforcement officers, because 

they typically have no authority 

on reservations. Consequently, 

tribal lands have become 

increasingly attractive to meth 

producers.

TSWAN’s Training Program

To help educate solid waste 

and public works staff with 

hazard identification and 

response, TSWAN is develop-

ing a 3-day training session 

with help from the University 

of Washington (through a 

hazardous waste grant from 

EPA) and the Washington State Patrol’s Drug Task Force Unit. The first training session 

is planned for June 2008. The training session will focus 

not only on hazard identification 

but also on teaching attendees 

how to respond after finding 

a meth lab, whom to call, the 

costs of cleanup, and other 

related topics. In addition, 

the training will cover which 

warning signs to look for when 

trying to identify a meth lab. Through the collaborative 

efforts of TSWAN and the 

Drug Task Force Unit, the 

training will also feature two 

hands-on training exercises 

using mock meth lab scenes. One will be an open dumping 

site for attendees to walk 

through. The other will be a 

vehicle assembled as a mobile 

meth lab. Attendees will 

be able to see and test the 

classroom instruction. Each training session will 

be limited to approximately 

35 people, with tribes who 

belong to TSWAN given 

preference. Ms. Snowden 

anticipates that the training 

will be very educational and 

popular, but that one session 

will not be enough. TSWAN

hopes to conduct 3–4 training 

sessions in the upcoming 

12–18 months. 

For more information about 

TSWAN’s training, contact:

Kami Snowden

TSWANExecutive Director

P.O. Box 505

Cheney, WA 99004

(509) 235-6007

www.tswan.org

Tribal Waste Journal

11
Assistance and Funding

opportunities

U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA)

Local Governments Reimbursement Program: This 

program provides federal 

funds to local governments 

for costs related to temporary 

emergency measures 

conducted in response 

to releases or threatened 

releases of hazardous 

substances. 

www.epa.gov/superfund/

programs/er/lgr/ 

•	Hazardous Waste Management Grant Program for 

Tribes: This program provides 

capacity-building grants to 

federally recognized tribes 

and tribal organizations. Its 

goal is to encourage comprehensive integrated hazardous 

waste management practices 

that are protective of human 

health and the environment. 

www.epa.gov/epaoswer/

non-hw/tribal/finance.htm 

•	EPA’s Brownfields Program 

provides direct funding for 

brownfields assessment, 

cleanup, revolving loans, and 

environmental job training. 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

pilot.htm

•	Brownfields Assessment 

Pilots/Grants 

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

assessment_grants.htm 

•	Brownfields Assessment, 

Cleanup, and Revolving Loan 

Fund Pilots/Grantees

www.epa.gov/swerosps/bf/

plocat.htm 

•	Brownfields Cleanup Grants

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

cleanup_grants.htm 

•	Brownfields Job Training 

Pilots/Grants

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

job.htm

Funding Opportunities for Meth 

Prevention and Cleanup Programs

The following list describes funding opportunities provided by various 

government agencies and other organizations to help tribes.

Tribal Waste Journal

12

Funding is available to help 

with land revitalization.
Tribal Waste Journal

13

•	Brownfields Training, 

Research, and Technical 

Assistance Grants

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

trta.htm

•	Brownfields Training, 

Research, and Technical 

Assistance Grant Fact 

Sheet: This site describes 

the Cherokee Nation 

Environmental Program’s 

Brownfields Methamphetamine Training.

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

html-doc/k6-07-cnep.htm

•	State and Tribal Response 

Programs: This site provides 

background information, 

state and tribal grant funding 

guidance, memoranda 

of understanding, state 

brownfields websites, and 

state Voluntary Cleanup 

Programs websites.

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

state_tribal.htm

•	Other Funding and Financing 

for Brownfields

www.epa.gov/brownfields/

mmatters.htm

U.S. Department of 

Justice (DOJ), Office of 

Justice Programs’ Bureau 

of Justice Assistance

These funding opportunities 

assist tribal jurisdictions 

in improving their criminal 

justice systems and reducing 

substance abuse. Applicants 

are limited to federally 

recognized tribes, including 

Alaska Native Villages and 

corporations, and authorized 

intertribal consortia.

•	General information from the 

Bureau of Justice Assistance

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/ 

•	Tribal Courts Assistance 

Program (TCAP) Fiscal Year 

(FY) 2008 Competitive Grant 

Announcement 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/

grant/08TCAPsol.pdf

•	Indian Alcohol and 

Substance Abuse Program 

FY 2008 Competitive Grant 

Announcement 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/

grant/08IASAPsol.pdf

•	Indian Alcohol and 

Substance Abuse Program

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/

grant/08IASAPsol.pdf

DOJ Office of 

Community Oriented 

Policing Services (COPS)

The COPS Office helps 

law enforcement agencies 

implement and enhance 

community enforcement.

•	Methamphetamine Initiatives: This site provides links 

to fact sheets, grant owners’ 

manuals, environmental 

assessments, and tools for 

combating meth. 

www.cops.usdoj.gov/

default.asp?Item=57

•	COPS Applications for 

Funding: This site lists 

current funding opportunities and due dates. 

www.cops.usdoj.gov/

default.asp?Item=240

•	COPS Tribal Resources 

Grant Program: This grant 

program has offered a wide 

variety of funding in areas 

such as hiring additional 

officers, law enforcement 

training, uniforms, basicissue equipment, emerging 

technologies, and police 

vehicles. 

www.cops.usdoj.gov/

default.asp?Item=1428

U.S. Department of 

Education (DOE)

Grants for School-Based 

Student Drug-Testing 

Programs for FY 2008: 

This site features current 

solicitations for DOE grants 

for local education agencies 

and public and private 

entities to develop and 

implement or expand schoolbased mandatory, random, 

or voluntary drug-testing 

programs for students.

www.randomstudent

drugtesting.org/current_

solicitations.html

Funding is available for job training 

to properly recognize and deal with 

meth labs.
Meth Resources

Latest Funding: This site 

provides links to meth 

prevention, education, 

and treatment funding 

opportunities for business/

retail/farmers/landlords, 

enforcement and public safety 

officials, parents and youth, 

policymakers, and legislators.

www.methresources.gov/

InformationTypeResource.

aspx?InfoId=5

National Institute on Drug 

Abuse (NIDA)

NIDA grants support its 

mission to lead the nation 

in bringing the power of 

science to bear on drug abuse, 

addiction, and associated 

infections such as HIV, HCV, 

TB, and others.

•	Securing Funding for NIDA

Grants and Contracts:

www.drugabuse.gov/

funding/default.html

•	Requests for Funding 

Applications:

www.drugabuse.gov/

funding/rfa.html

Northwest Portland Area 

Indian Health Board: Indian 

Leadership for Indian Health

Funding and Resources: This 

site provides links to COPS

funding and resources for key 

Indian health issues, including 

combating the effects of meth.

www.npaihb.org/health_

issues/page/meth_funding_

and_resources

Office of National Drug 

Control Policy (ONDCP), 

Drug Free Communities 

Support Program

The Drug Free Communities 

Potential Grantees: This site 

provides grantee information, 

requests for applications, 

and application support for 

the Drug Free Communities 

Support Program.

www.ondcp.gov/dfc/

potentialgrantees.html

Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health Services 

Administration (SAMHSA)

Request for Applications: 

Cooperative Agreements for 

Screening, Brief Intervention, 

Referral, and Treatment 

(SBIRT): The purpose of this 

program is to expand and 

enhance state and tribal 

substance-abuse treatment 

service systems.

www.samhsa.gov/grants/

2008/ti_08_001.aspx

Tribal Justice Programs

National Funding Opportunities: This site provides links to 

funding opportunities for tribal 

courts, drug abuse prevention, 

and many other issues. 

www.tribaljusticeprograms.

org/funding/opps.asp

Funding is available for substance 

abuse and mental health services.

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14
Anti-Meth Training

This website describes a 

new anti-meth “online” and 

“in-person” training course 

designed specifically to help 

combat the meth problem in 

Indian Country. The course, 

offered by Lamar Associates 

under a grant from the U.S. 

Department of Justice, 

features information on the 

meth issues in Indian Country; 

ways to identify meth use 

and production; discussion 

about jurisdictional issues 

in Indian Country; and ideas 

for developing community 

coalitions and undertaking 

strategic planning.

www.lamarassociates.net/

antimethtraining.html

MethResources.gov

The federal government 

created this website to provide 

information on a range of 

meth-related topics, including 

health and environmental 

impacts, treatment, training 

and technical assistance, and 

policies and regulations. The 

site also includes a discussion 

board and links to upcoming 

conferences and events. 

www.methresources.gov

National Congress of 

American Indians (NCAI) 

Tribal Meth Toolkit 

This site provides access 

to a toolkit of meth-related 

materials, including:

•	Basic information about 

meth use in Indian Country; 

•	Examples of tribal codes and 

policies to outlaw meth;

•	Television and radio public 

service announcements and 

newsletter article templates 

to increase awareness about 

the hazards posed by meth;

General Meth Information

If you are interested in learning more about the tools and programs currently 

available to help combat meth and meth-related problems, please visit some 

of the following websites.

Learn 

more

Many resources are available 

to help with youth education 

and drug prevention.

Tribal Waste Journal

15
•	Educational materials and 

presentations, including 

posters and bookmarks; and

•	Links to other resources 

for dealing with the meth 

problem. 

www.ncai.org/Tribal_Meth_

Toolkit.266.0.html

NCAI Meth in Indian 

Country Initiative 

This site includes links to other 

resources provided by NCAI, 

such as the Tribal Meth Toolkit 

and information about current 

meth-related legislation and 

conferences.

www.ncai.org/Meth_in_Indian_

Country_Initiat.192.0.html

National Tribal Justice 

Resource Center 

Methamphetamine Tools 

and Resources

This site features basic information about meth as well as 

links to numerous news articles 

and publications about meth 

and organizations working 

to prevent the use of meth 

throughout the United States, 

including Indian Country.

www.ntjrc.org/legal/

details.asp?83

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services, 

Indian Health Service 

Methamphetamine Initiative

This site, originally created in 

2006, features links to information on meth prevention 

activities, such as training and 

workgroups.

www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/

Behavioral/index.cfm?module=

BH&option=Meth

U.S. Department of the 

Interior, Bureau of Indian 

Affairs/Indian Community 

Initiatives

This site details some of the 

efforts currently underway in 

Indian Country by the Bureau of 

Indian Affairs, such as developing a meth awareness training 

program and forming a joint 

working group on meth abuse.

www.doi.gov/news/07_

News_Releases/070205a_

INFO2.html

 Tribes across the

 nation are reporting

 that meth has become 

 a problem.

Learn about the environmental 

impacts caused by meth production.

Tribal Waste Journal

16
Kids’ 

corner

To make the drugs more 

appealing to children, methamphetamine producers have 

recently started adding new 

cutting agents to dilute their 

product. Cutting agents are 

chemicals used to add bulk 

to meth as well as giving 

the drug a more tempting 

appearance. One such 

agent is Nestlé’s Strawberry 

NESQUIKTM, which makes 

the meth appear pink, instead 

of the usual brown or white 

color. “Strawberry Quick,” as 

this colored meth is commonly 

called, also has been reported 

to have a strawberry odor 

and flavor. 

Another type of meth that 

is popping up at parties and 

being used to entice young 

people is called “yaba.” Yaba 

means “crazy medicine” in 

Thai. Yaba originated and is 

produced in Southeast and 

East Asia and combines 

caffeine with methamphetamine. Yaba is presented in 

pill form and is usually orange, 

pink, or green, and has been 

reported to taste like candy.

Drug dealers have intentionally made these drugs look 

like candy to entice new users 

and create a new generation 

of meth addicts. Tribal leaders, 

parents, teachers, and others 

in the community should 

caution kids about accepting 

or ingesting these or any other 

types of drugs. Let children 

know that if they are unsure 

of what the substance is or 

where it came from, they 

should not use it or accept it.

Caution Your Kids!

According to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, there has been 

a recent decline in the number of youths using drugs, despite the fact that total 

drug use remains at a relatively high level. As a result, illegal drug manufacturers 

are taking new steps to entice more young people, including children, to become 

addicted to drugs like meth. 

Encourage children to become involved 

in their community.

Tribal Waste Journal

17

Yaba Strawberry Quick
Did You Know?

Statistically, youths who 

participate in activities are less 

likely to use drugs like meth 

than those who do not. There 

are several things that you can 

do within your community to 

keep kids active so that they 

do not turn to drugs. Consider 

things like:

•	Having movie and 

game nights;

•	Forming sports teams 

or leagues;

•	Starting a drama class 

or a children’s choir;

•	Offering computer 

training; and

•	Organizing volunteer 

programs.

You can also foster tribal 

culture among youth through 

activities such as:

•	Native games;

•	Tribal language or 

history courses;

•	Native crafts;

•	Cooking 

demonstrations; and

•	Storytelling.

Encourage kids to bring their 

friends and family. Get the 

entire community involved!

For more information about 

native cultural programs for 

youth, please visit:

www.learningpt.org/

afterschool/hqactivities/

program.php?id=4

or

http://seattletimes.

nwsource.com/html/

education/2002014369_

skyvalley25n.html

For ideas on how to talk to 

kids about staying off drugs, 

visit these helpful websites:

www.theantidrug.com/pdfs/

version3General.pdf

or

www.dare.com/parents/

Parents_Tips/Story2d13.

asp?N=Parents_

Tips&M=25&S=91

Many activities, like those offered 

at the Escondido Public Library, 

celebrate their communities’ cultures 

and heritage.

Above photographs provided courtesy of 

Escondido Public Library, Escondido, CA.

 Youths who participate

 in activities are less likely 

 to use drugs like meth, 

 than those who do not.

Tribal Waste Journal

18
To be placed on our mailing list 

or to submit ideas and success 

stories, please e-mail:

Kim Katonica-Mule

U.S. EPA Tribal Solid Waste Program

katonica.kim@epamail.epa.gov
Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5306W)

EPA530-N-08-001

www.epa.gov/tribalmsw

June 2008