METH LABS DECLINE IN STATE

Cooper: Law On Cold-Remedy Sales Made Difference

ASHEVILLE -- The scourge of methamphetamine was dealt a critical blow
by a state law restricting sales of cold medicines, but Attorney
General Roy Cooper says much more remains to be done in the fight
against the highly addictive drug.

The number of clandestine meth labs found in Western North Carolina
mushroomed from seven in 2001 to a peak of 183 in 2005, according to
figures from the State Bureau of Investigation. But that figure
dropped to 72 in 2006, and through September of this year just 23 of
the makeshift labs have been busted in the state's 18 westernmost counties.

Cooper and area law enforcement credit a state law that went into
effect 20 months ago banning bulk sales of ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine products -- key ingredients for making the debilitating drug.

"By making it harder for criminals to get the key ingredients, we've
significantly reduced the number of meth labs in North Carolina," the
attorney general said. "But we still have not won the war." The law
requires anyone who buys cold tablets containing ephedrine or
pseudoephedrine to show a photo ID at a store counter and sign a log.
The law also limits purchases to two packages per customer at a time
and three packages within a month.

The log must be made available to law enforcement. Buncombe County
District Attorney Ron Moore, who lobbied in favor of the law, said it
faced stiff opposition in the General Assembly. "To me it was a
no-brainer," he said. "You don't need 1,000 pills to fight a cold.
Meth is a tremendous societal harm. It's just awful, awful stuff."
Limiting cold medicine sales 'fantastic' And the results have been in
apparent in Buncombe County, which had four meth labs discovered by
authorities last year, down from 23 in 2004. Illegal meth production
has been most prevalent in North Carolina's mountain counties, with
McDowell and Rutherford leading the state.

McDowell set a state record in 2005 with 61 meth labs, while
Rutherford wasn't far behind that year with 44. Both counties have
since experienced dramatic declines. "I think the law's been
fantastic," Rutherford Sheriff Jack Conner said. "It has made a big
difference for us." Moore said the wave of illegal meth production
started in the West and moved steadily eastward.

Oklahoma was the first state to approve restrictions on cold medicine
sales in 2004. Forty-four states now have such laws. But the National
Drug Intelligence Center says large-scale meth production is on the
rise in Mexico, with distribution systems funneling it into the U.S.
That is one reason Cooper said he is stepping up public education and
law enforcement efforts to fight traffickers who bring meth and other
drugs into North Carolina.

The General Assembly this summer approved 12 new SBI agents, some of
whom will be assigned to combating the drug trade, he said. Only
about 15 percent of the meth used in the state is made in local,
makeshift labs, he said. "People are still using meth," Cooper said,
"even if they don't get it from a homemade lab.

"Fewer people making meth in North Carolina means fewer children
living in meth labs and fewer communities at risk from the fires and
explosions these labs can cause.

Now we're focused on cutting the flow of drugs into our state and
fighting to keep people off of meth."

Fighting the drug with education Cooper partnered with law
enforcement and drug addiction experts to develop a video and
resource guide to educate people about the dangers of meth. The
video, titled "Meth is...," uses interviews with two North Carolina
meth addicts and treatment professionals to demonstrate the horrors
of being hooked and the challenges of breaking meth addiction.

The guide, called "Methamphetamine: The Basics," offers information
about the drug and its effects and tips on how to spot homemade meth
labs. The video and the guide are available at www.ncdoj.gov. Cooper
said his office also will share these resources with local drug
prevention specialists, school resource officers, first responders and others.

In a recent survey by The Meth Project, nearly 25 percent of
teenagers said meth is easy to get. About a third of those surveyed
said that trying meth once or twice posed only a slight risk to no
risk. Cooper said the reality is that trying meth even once can lead
to addiction, heart attack or even death.

"Clearly, reducing demand for this drug is a priority," Cooper said.

Paul Deckman, meth program coordinator for ARP Phoenix, which offers
substance abuse services in Asheville, said there's no harder
addiction to break than meth. Users are so enticed initially because
the drug can dramatically increase performance at work or other tasks, he said.

"It's a very, very seductive, addictive drug because there is no
hangover at first," Deckman said. "Some people report no difficulty
except for an intense craving if they have to go without."

Methamphetamine -- also called crank, speed, ice or poor man's
cocaine -- is cheap and easy to make and often "cooked" in homes,
cars and motels.

It's also easy to sell.

Making meth is a dangerous process because the ingredients are toxic
and explosive, according to the N.C. Department of Justice. Phosphine
gas, ammonia vapors, hydrogen chloride gas and iodine vapors are
byproducts that can cause severe burns, irritate skin and eyes, and
damage lungs and kidneys. The drug creates a longer high than other
drugs, typically 10 to 12 hours, and users can stay awake for days at
a time. Addiction leads to psychotic or violent behavior and brain damage.

Withdrawal symptoms include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia
and aggression. Meth addicts also suffer from malnutrition, loss of
bone mass and "meth mouth," a form of severe tooth decay.