METH LABS

The use of methamphetamine has skyrocketed in recent years. This highly
addictive drug is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and has devastated the
lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Meth addicts are more likely
to abuse or neglect their children, to commit crimes to finance their
habits, and to eventually end up in emergency rooms – because of the
havoc the drug wreaks on their bodies.

There is no single solution to this cancer upon our society. Education,
strict enforcement of laws, especially against distributors, and expansion
of treatment programs are just three prongs of a multi-facted approach. But
certainly another key is limiting the availability of the key ingredient in
meth, which is pseudoephedrine-based products, such as Sudafed. Meth labs,
which can be easily set up in motel rooms, kitchens and even the back seat
of cars, "cook" the cold-remedy medicines down, often cutting it with
highly volatile chemicals to create meth. Stories abound about meth addicts
haunting 24-hour discount stores in the early morning hours, buying up
armloads of Sudafed and related products.

A bill passed by the Texas Senate Wednesday would restrict access to cold
remedies that contain pseudoephedrine by putting them behind counters or in
locked cabinets. One would not have to have a prescription to purchase
Sudafed or similar products, but at least a pharmacist would be able to
make a reasonable evaluation of whether the customer had a legitimate
reason to buy the medicine.

Similar laws in other states have cut down on the number of meth labs being
operated, which is one reason Texas is seeing an increase in such labs
– as the meth suppliers move to states that don't restrict Sudafed
sales. We hope the House will also approve the Senate measure. It's not a
panacea, but it certainly is a common-sense attempt to make meth production
more difficult.

On a related note, state Rep. Roy Blake Jr., R-Nacogdoches, co-authored a
bill passed by the House that would make meth manufacturers liable for
damages caused from labs catching on fire or exploding. That is yet another
hazard of this scourge. We have published a number of stories of houses
destroyed by a meth lab explosion, or motel rooms damaged. Even if there's
not a fire, cleaning up a motel room after it's been used for a meth lab is
akin to cleaning a toxic-waste dump.

Blake's bill, which has been sent to the Senate, would give law enforcement
and property owners one more tool to try to recoup damages from meth
producers. We hope it becomes law.