Legislative Committees to Hear about Meth Rise

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — State and federal law enforcement officials are set to brief the Legislature's criminal justice committees on a rise in methamphetamine use in Wisconsin.

The state Department of Justice, Milwaukee police and the FBI released a report in November that found methamphetamine use in the state grew between 250 and 300 percent from 2011 to 2015. The report said western Wisconsin and rural areas are seeing the most use.

The report predicts the state will continue to see growth in methamphetamine use over the next decade because rising amounts of high-grade, high-potency methamphetamine will keep prices low.

The Assembly's criminal justice committee and the Senate's judiciary committee will hear from Attorney General Brad Schimel and Justin Tolomeo, special agent-in-charge of the FBI's Milwaukee office, during a hearing Thursday.