Woman with two meth addict kids calls for more substance abuse treatment

A Mount Pleasant woman whose two children have both been addicted to meth says the state must spend more on substance abuse treatment programs. Susie Snyder went to Des Moines in February to learn how to lobby legislators, and she’s making return trips to take her message to decision-makers. “Short-term treatment just does not work. You need at least six to 18 months,” Snyder says. She’s lobbying legislators to establish more “drug courts” around the state to deal with those who’re accused for the first time of a drug crime. Most of those first-time offenders who go through one of the state’s existing drug courts end up in treatment rather than in prison. “Both my children have had some problems with the meth. We’ve tried short-term treatment which does not work,” Snyder says. “These people need the community support to try to stay away from this stuff because it’s all around us.” Snyder is part of a group called Iowa CURE. That stands for Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants. Snyder stood behind Governor Vilsack earlier this week when he signed a bill that would limit access to the kinds of cold medications that meth-makers need to cook the illegal drug.