WNC LAW ENFORCERS SUPPORT IDEA OF TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR METH MAKERS

Western North Carolina police and prosecutors say stiffening penalties
for the makers of methamphetamine is key to getting the drug off the
streets. A state Senate judiciary committee this week approved a bill
that would give convicted meth makers more time in prison. Currently,
the minimum fine for a first-time offender making the highly addictive
drug can be community service. "Gathering pine straw and picking
ginseng carries a stiffer penalty," said District Attorney Michael
Bonfoey, the prosecutor for North Carolina's seven westernmost counties.

The drug has become a top priority for Western North Carolina law
enforcement agencies. The region is home to more drug labs than any
other part of the state.

The drug is cheap and easy to make with ingredients that can be
purchased in grocery stores.

Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed said lawmakers must update
the law to handle the problem of methamphetamine.

"We had not experienced the problems with meth like other states," he
said. "Now that it is here, we are backtracking and making legislation
with some stiff statutes."

Under existing law, conviction for manufacturing meth is on par with
growing a single marijuana plant.

Because of the toxicity of meth labs, the new legislation also would
require state health workers to determine when a building used for
meth production could be occupied again.

Manufacturing the illegal drug creates hazardous fumes, including
ammonia, and can cause explosions. Twenty-seven police, fire and
rescue workers were injured last year due to exposure to meth labs,
state officials said. The legislation would reclassify the penalty for
manufacturing meth from a Class H felony to a Class C felony,
punishable by a maximum prison sentence of about two years to 17 1/2
years.

Aggravating factors could be added in cases where children are
endangered by a lab, resulting in tougher sentences. Attorney General
Roy Cooper told lawmakers that 37 children were found near labs last
year. A manufacturer also could be convicted of second-degree murder
if someone overdoses on meth they made. Similar legislation has been
introduced in the House. Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland said
stiffer penalties might be the only way to curb meth use.

"You can't make someone go and get help unless they are willing," he
said. "We need to put them somewhere where they are out of the way and
not hurting people who are not committing crimes in our community."

The Associated Press contributed to this article.