Pubdate: Mon, 20 Feb 2012
Source: St. Joseph News-Press (MO)
Copyright: 2012 The News-Press, St. Joseph, Missouri
Contact:  http://www.newspressnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1510
Author: Kim Norvell, St. Joseph News-Press. Bob Heater, with News-Press 3 NOW

METH LAB SEIZURES RISE 6% IN MISSOURI

Meth lab seizures increased 6 percent in Missouri last year,
illustrating a problem that has grown despite a law that limits access
to over-the-counter medicine used in the drug's production.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 2,096 seizures in 2011, up
from 1,960 in 2010.

In a press release, the patrol said Missouri saw a drop in the number
of meth lab seizures in 2006, after anti-meth lab legislation was enacted.

However, from 2007 to 2011, the number of meth lab incidents in
Missouri has increased steadily, from 1,285 in 2007; to 1,487 in 2008;
1,774 in 2009; 1,960 in 2010; and then 2,096 in 2011. That makes an
increase of 63.1 percent since 2007, which includes operational labs,
chemical or equipment seizures and lab dump sites.

The patrol said the rise can be attributed in part to meth
manufacturers circumventing laws that restrict the legal limit
purchase of pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient used to make meth.
Current Missouri law requires purchasers of pseudoephedrine to be over
the age of 18 and have their name run through an electronic database.
The database allows pharmacists to deny the sale if the purchaser is
over a weekly or monthly limit.

"It's all mainly made out of household chemicals, which are all very
volatile chemicals, especially when they're mixed together," said Cpl.
Doug Black, with the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H.

The patrol described pseudoephedrine as the only ingredient that
cannot be substituted in the manufacture of methamphetamine, however.

In 2010, Gov. Jay Nixon introduced legislation that would require a
prescription to purchase any medicine containing the chemical, which
can be found in over-the-counter cold medicines such as Dimetapp
Decongestant, Claritin-D and Aleve Cold & Sinus. The proposed bill
failed in the 2010 legislative session, and no such bills are being
considered in the 2012 regular session.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.