METH MAKERS WORK FAR AND WIDE

There is no way to know whether making it more difficult to obtain a primary
ingredient in methamphetamine will curb the manufacturing and use of this
drug. But a recent report underscores the need to try. The report by the
Council of State Governments studied the number of meth labs seized by
federal agents in past years. There were 584 federal seizures in Oklahoma in
2001, which placed the state third in an eight-state region (only Missouri
and Kansas had more).

The report released last week showed that 31 percent of all local and state
law enforcement agencies see meth as their No. 1 drug threat. Rural areas
are growing in popularity for meth cooks for a number of reasons: dwellings
are farther apart than in urban areas, it's easier to get some meth
ingredients, and because rural law enforcement agencies often aren't as
well-equipped as their metropolitan brethren to fight the problem.

Statistics from the state Health Department show McCurtain County in far
southeastern Oklahoma has the highest homicide rate in the state, with 20.5
per 100,000 population. One reason? "Crime is a bad problem and meth is a
big part of it," the district attorney says.

Meanwhile, state officials say they're seeing meth labs grow most rapidly in
densely populated areas -- last year, more meth labs were confiscated in
Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. In Tulsa County, more than 90 percent of
children who were found in places where meth was being made tested positive
for the drug.

That brings us to House Bill 2176, which would make the tablet form of
pseudoephedrine -- a decongestant that happens to be the main ingredient in
meth -- available only at pharmacies. The bill also would allow judges to
deny bond for meth cooks.

The measure passed easily in the House and Senate. Now it's headed back to
the House for consideration of Senate amendments and should soon be on its
way to Gov. Brad Henry, who supports it. Skeptics question how much effect
the law will have. But given the growing scope of the problem, any impact
the law provides is better than none at all.