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Mosher talks about drugs at Rotary
Vernon County Sheriff Jason Mosher told the Nevada Rotary Club Thursday that state funding for the CNET Drug Task Force, which the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department is a member of, drops every year, while drug use continues to increase. He said the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department administers the grants the task force receives.
Vernon, Bates, Cedar and Cass county law enforcement agencies comprise the task force.
The grant money goes to pay for drug buys and overtime for local law enforcement officers to work on drug cases, Mosher said.
“In the past we used to get $100,000 each year. That has decreased each year. Last year we got $48,000. This year we hope to get the same amount,” he said.
When they had more money there were officers who worked full time for the task force. Now everything is done by local officers working on overtime.
“The problem has grown — the funding has dropped. Where has the money gone?” he said.
Mosher said that they arrest the addicts, but that does not decrease the demand. And the supply will be there for demand.
He said that in addition to aresting users they need to find a way to help people get off drugs, in this case methamphetamines.
“We have been looking to get some programs in the jail to work with the drug court,” he said.
The problem for people, who have a criminal record, is getting a job when they get out of jail, he said.
Mosher said they are looking for a way to turn what is normally an eight-week program into something that can be done in one day.
Meth started in the Missouri and Arkansas area, and was called the 417 drug, after the area code, he said.
“Now 99 percent is manufactured in Mexico and driven right into this area,” he said, adding that the meth now is often 90 percent pure, which is laboratory grade.
Kansas City is the supply center for everyone within 200 miles. Nevada is the hub for Vernon County,” he said.
Because meth is easy to get, many users start with meth. One way to cut the supply is to cut the demand for meth. That requires education to stop people from making their first bad choice, he said.