AUTHORITIES REPORT DECLINE IN METH LABS

RALEIGH (AP) - N.C. authorities last month found the fewest number of
meth labs since December 2003, and state officials credit a new state
law that restricts the sale of cold medicines used to make the highly
addictive drug.

Agents with the State Bureau of Investigation busted 11 meth labs in
May, a 69 percent drop from the 35 labs discovered in May 2005, said
Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Since the law took effect Jan. 15, state officials said agents have
busted 112 labs through May 31. They found 172 labs for the same
period last year, according to a news release.

"The more we're able to stop criminals from making meth here, the
more we'll be able to go after criminals who are trafficking meth,
cocaine and other drugs into our state," Cooper said in a statement.

Methamphetamine is cheap to make and often "cooked" in homes, cars or
motels. The new law requires anyone who buys cold tablets containing
pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, such as Sudafed, to show a photo ID at
a store counter and sign a log. Most liquid, gel-capsule and
children's forms of the medicines, which are not generally used to
make the drug, remain freely available on retail store shelves.

In 2004, Oklahoma became the first state to restrict consumers'
ability to purchase products containing pseudoephedrine, limiting
their sale to pharmacies. Raids of meth labs there have since
plunged. Several other states, including Tennessee, Iowa, Minnesota,
Missouri and Oregon, have approved similar restrictions.