Since the discovery of a meth lab at a university-owned apartment in October, Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco has placed new focus on combating methamphetamine use.

Iowa’s growing problem with the addictive drug prompted a recent visit to Des Moines from Vice President Al Gore.

Gore announced federal money would be allotted to Iowa to fight the growing meth problem.

However, there is a problem with using this federal grant money to fund anti-drug activities, Tedesco said.

“What happens when the money dries up?” Tedesco asked.

The mayor said he would like to beat meth addiction using preventative and educational methods instead.

“We want to have a conscious effort in fighting the drug problem,” Tedesco said.

He emphasized using aggressive techniques to fight meth, or as he called it, “the drug of choice.”

Department of Public Safety Director Loras Jaeger agreed that the problem belongs to the entire state.

“We know there’s meth at the university, whether it is as rampant in Ames as it is in other [communities], I don’t think so,” he said.

Although the city’s jurisdiction does not include the Iowa State campus, the Ames Police Department and the drug task force usually collaborate with DPS when a drug problem emerges.

“The university is very good at recognizing problems,” Tedesco said. “Together, we try to combat them.”

Jaeger said solving Iowa’s meth problem will take a cooperative effort. “A big component is education and prevention. That’s sometimes lost in this whole issue,” he said. “Education is just as important as anything else when we try to deal with these issues.”

Tedesco said he is relying on preventative programs in the schools and suggestions by the first-ever appointed youth committee for a solution to the exploding problem.