Paccione passes meth bill

If Marilyn Musgrave is so wretched, who is the alternative?

Rhetorical question, of course. It's Angie Paccione, silly! Thus, we will promote her quite shamelessly.

Angie's got an op-ed in the Coloradoan today on some sensible legislation she's getting passed in Denver.

A recent in-depth article on meth use in Northern Colorado told the traumatic story of "Ashli," a 16-year-old whose father was a meth addict. By age 5, she had been forced into the role of caregiver for her younger brother because her parents couldn't change diapers. From there, a life of instability, drug abuse and neglect followed for Ashli. Fortunately, Ashli has now been able to escape this cycle after finding a safe and stable environment. Not all children will get this second chance. When we consider that admissions to meth treatment centers in Colorado have increased 200 percent between 1997 and 2004, we begin to get an idea of the scope of this challenge.

Whatever the power of addiction, there can be no excuse when it comes to endangering children. Society cannot accept or tolerate the exposure of children to this life. Growing up in a meth household exposes children to violence, weapons, dangerous chemicals and sexual predators. Having an addict for a parent increases the likelihood that a child will later use drugs. Having your childhood robbed in this way is an act of cruelty and neglect - this robbery should not be permissible.

With state Rep. Judy Solano of Thornton, I have sponsored House Bill 1145 in the Colorado state House of Representatives to help address meth addiction and the dangers to children. House Bill 1145 broadens the legal definition of "felony child abuse" to include the exposure of a child to meth production. Ashli's story has stuck in my mind, and knowing she is not alone is a direct challenge to elected leaders. I know that my legislative colleagues share similar anxieties and are putting politics aside to find creative solutions.

Meth is bad news. This page talks about how lab seizures in Colorado have tripled over the past three years.