They hope to use the additional money to have 16 more counties declared high-intensity drug trafficking areas, which receive extra federal aid. Ten counties in the two states are currently part of such a federally declared areas. Those people are absolutely at their limit.
Lawmakers are quick to acknowledge that they face tough odds.
But the Northwest lawmakers' effort shows how serious they believe the drug problem has become. This is a war we cannot afford to lose. Rep. Norm Dicks' Washington state district in Pierce County has seen meth lab seizures double over the past year, and the county's meth use rates are among the highest in the nation. This is a devastating drug and the impact on families is very, very bad. Statewide, Washington law enforcement seized more than 600 methamphetamine labs last year, up from about 25 six years ago, said Dave Rodriguez, director of the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.