METHAMPHETAMINE NUMBERS DROP

Forty-two less methamphetamine labs were confiscated in 2004 in North
Dakota, but that doesn't mean the addiction epidemic is waning.

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation reported 255 meth labs
were raided last year, compared to 297 for all of 2003.

Williams County alone accounted for 25 percent of the 2004 figures with 64
labs. The combined five-county area in northwest North Dakota makes up 31
percent of total labs with 81, stated the report.

One lab was uncovered in Mountrail County in 2004, compared to four in
2003. Burke County reported zero meth labs busted last year. There were two
total in 2003. Divide County tied its 2003 numbers with two meth labs in 2004.

Williams County methamphetamine labs found dropped slightly from 70 in 2003
to 64 in 2004.

The number of meth labs confiscated in McKenzie County fell from 19 in 2003
to 14 in 2004.

Comparably, all of the eastern border of North Dakota had a total of 66
meth labs discovered in 2004. The largest number of labs in the east were
found in Walsh County with 47. On the west half of the state, Williams
County had 67.

Liz Brocker, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, said the
lower numbers could be misleading.

"In the eastern part of the state, more meth is imported. The further away
they are from the interstate, the more likely they are to make meth. It
does not reflect the entire (story). Busts on the eastern side are not
manufactured as much as they are trafficked," she said.

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem agreed. "Most of the meth in
the state, especially on the eastern part of the state is imported," he said.

Stenehjem said past legislation appears to at least be making a dent on
manufacturing of the substance.

"There have been some restrictions on the cold medicine and purchases. No
one under 18 can buy them. The retail meth program has helped enormously,
particularly in (northwest North Dakota)," he said. "We got more agents out
in the field. This year, we'll ask for more," stated Stenehjem. "We haven't
the light at the end of the tunnel, but maybe some light in the tunnel ...
On the other hand, we're seeing more ice or crystal meth out there. It's
more purified. It's getting imported from super labs in California, Mexico
and Arizona."

However, manufacturing remains the top choice for this part of the state,
he said.

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner Jim Poolman said there are no current
plans to expand a program which requires anhydrous ammonia tanks to be
locked in Williams and McKenzie counties.

Anhydrous ammonia is a popular element in meth recipes.

"We do not have new legislation ... We still want to see the success of the
(current) program. We think it should be a full year before we make any
assumptions of expanding the program," he said.

Plus, the University of Iowa is still honing an additive that will render
anhydrous ammonia useless for making meth.

"We want to see if any considerable progress is made on an additive,"
Poolman said. "We would analyze the expense of an additive (compared to
locks statewide). No decision will be made until we see what happens with
this product."

A tentative Feb. 2 meeting in Williston has been set with the McKenzie
County and Williams County Farm Bureaus to thank them for their support and
purchase of locks during the advent of the campaign in the spring of 2004.

"The locks have been extremely helpful," Poolman said. "There have been
locks tampered with, but there has been little activity and thefts of
anhydrous."

He said farmers voicing concerns about the inconvenience of the locks have
found things have worked out so far.

"What we have found out that farmers and anhydrous dealers have been
inconvenienced very little. The potential benefits of no theft outweigh any
minor inconvenience," Poolman explained. "The locks are easy to get on and
off. There were mostly minor problems that worked themselves out."

Stenehjem listed a medley of new legislation intended to combat the drug
program.

"We want to do further restrictions on cold medicines . It will mean
smaller packages. This might force manufacturers to buy a lot more
packages," added Stenehjem. "Store owners will have one of the following
options: have a surveillance camera where the cold medicine is, put the
medication behind the counter, lock it up, or place it in line sight of the
cashier, or they can place one package of each type to display."

Retailers also can get the identification of the buyer which helped in
Oklahoma. He added that in Oklahoma, these types of medicines can only be
sold in drug stores. Stenehjem said he doesn't believe that will work in
small towns in this state.

"It did cut meth labs by 75 percent in Oklahoma. Other states are following
its lead," he said.

As for the drop in meth labs found here, Stenehjem is cautiously
optimistic. "It means there has been some success. It's too early too tell,
but we must be doing something right."

While meth labs only fell by six from 2003 in Williams County, Stenehjem
said the anhydrous locks must be making a positive impact. "They (meth
labs) were doubling and tripling until this year. So it's a success every
time we shut down a meth lab. That's one less potential addict. I count
those as victories," he said.

He also wants the law to mandate that those awaiting trial after a meth
arrest be required to submit to random drug testing before the trial date.
Williams County already does that.

"We're seeing people released on bond, and that evening, they're cooking
again," he said.

Although Stenehjem doesn't have the specific wording, he said he will back
measures funding expansion of the Teen Challenge program.

"If we don't have a treatment program that is effective and available, then
we'll only see the same people in a revolving door of prison year after year."

He also is supporting legislation that requires those convicted of
drug-related crimes to go to an evaluation and treatment program. Those not
completing the treatment will go back to jail.