Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2008
Source: Branson Daily News (MO)
Copyright: 2008 The Branson Daily News
Contact:  http://www.bransondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4031
Author: Donna Clevenger
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

TANEY COUNTY METH LAB SEIZURES LOWER IN 2007

TANEY COUNTY -- Statistics for the incidence of  methamphetamine 
investigations in Taney County compare  favorably to other counties 
in Southwest Missouri.

Statistics for the state are less encouraging, with  Missouri leading 
the nation with 1,285 in clandestine  meth lab incidents.

Missouri totals remained virtually the same as 2006  (1,284). The 
first half of 2007 showed a continued  downward trend, but the second 
half of the year showed  a rise in seizures.

"This trend demonstrates that smurfing (going from  pharmacy to 
pharmacy to purchase pseudoephedrine) is  occurring as the 
methamphetamine cooks become  comfortable with the pseudoephedrine 
law," reads the  news release from Capt. Luke Vislay, director of the 
Division of Drug and Crime Control report.

The DDCC was established in 1983, and operates  throughout the state. 
The field offices are located at  each troop headquarters of the 
Missouri State Highway  Patrol.

Missouri shares the top five slot with Indiana, number  two with 620 
incidents; Tennessee, third with 559;  Illinois, fourth with 360; and 
Arkansas, fifth with 309  incidents of seizures.

Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation Feb. 1, saving the  Missouri 
Sheriff's Methamphetamine Relief Teams  (MoSMART) that were cut from 
federal funding this year.  The legislation provides more than $1.8 
million in  supplemental funding to help in the state's 
fight  against meth after Congress eliminated federal support.

"The manufacture and use of meth is a scourge on our  state and 
nation, and we must do everything in our  power to fight this deadly 
drug," Gov. Blunt said.  "Working together with Missouri law 
enforcement, we  have saved the task forces with this state funding 
to ensure we have the resources needed to protect Missouri  families 
from this terrible drug."

Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell serves on the board  for Combined 
Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement  Team. The county's 
prosecuting attorney, Jeff Merrell,  working with the circuit court 
through the Drug Court  program continues to impact the incidence of 
meth lab  seizures as evidenced by a reduction from five in 2006  to one.

Gov. Blunt attributes the Missouri law passed in June  of 2005, 
limiting access to the materials used to make  meth, with the 
reduction of the negative impact of meth  in Missouri. The law 
restricts the sale of products  containing pseudoephedrine or 
ephedrine and relocates  them behind pharmacy counters. Consumers are 
also now  required to show photo identification before purchasing 
products containing the chemicals and are limited to  how much of the 
products they can purchase each month.  Under the legislation, 
pharmacies are required to  maintain purchase logs and make them 
available for  inspection to law enforcement officers.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom