National town hall on meth starts at noon today, Jan. 23
A National Town Hall on Methamphetamine Awareness and Prevention will be held in Washington, D.C., and broadcast live via satellite to six college and university campuses in Minnesota, today, Jan. 23.
The Twin Cities site for the satellite broadcast will be 3M Auditorium in Owens Science Hall on the University of St. Thomas’ St. Paul campus. Owens Science Hall is located on Cretin Avenue and just south of Summit Avenue.
The broadcast, free and open to the public, will run from noon to 3 p.m. It also can be seen online at www.coleman.senate.gov.
Four U.S. senators – Norm Coleman from Minnesota, Conrad Burns and Max Baucus from Montana, and Chuck Hagel from Nebraska – are hosting the town hall to address the dangers and tragic effects of the synthetically made drug.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and drug czar John Walters of the Office of National Drug Control Policy will give opening remarks. During the program’s three rounds, the senators will be joined by state and national panelists, including drug-enforcement officials, rehabilitative-services personnel and former meth users.
The goal of the town hall is to better understand the use and widespread impact of the drug, as well as to seek ways to inform the public, deter use, and examine possible legislative initiatives to combat the meth epidemic.
Those viewing the town hall via satellite will be able to submit questions to the senators and panelists via e-mail. The e-mails can be sent to methtownhall@coleman.senate.gov.
Other Minnesota locations where the town hall can be seen are Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, Winona State University, Ridgewater College in Willmar, Rochester Community and Technical College and Mankato State University.
