METH LAB SEIZURES CONTINUE TO RISE

Raids on methamphetamine labs continued to increase in Missouri last year,
and the state continued to be a clear No. 1 in the country in meth lab
seizures, according to a report released Friday by the Missouri State
Highway Patrol.

Lab seizures increased 4 percent in 2003 from the previous year, to a total
of 2,860. Iowa, which had the second-most lab incidents, had less than half
that amount. Last year was the third year in a row Missouri led the nation.

Missouri and its eight neighboring states comprise 54 percent of the total
number of meth lab incidents in the country last year, the report showed.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive illegal stimulant that is cheap to
produce. The drug is made from legal and easily purchased materials such as
ether, match tips and pseudoephedrine, an ingredient found in many cold
medicines.

The greatest number of meth lab seizures came in Jefferson County, where
there were 161 last year. Jasper and Franklin counties also had more than
100 meth lab seizures last year. Two counties -- Barton and Harrison -- had
none.

Curbing production of meth is a popular goal of politicians, who have drawn
attention to the issue in recent months.

Police say the increase in the seizures of meth labs proves that law
enforcement is getting better at getting the drug off the streets. But the
report shows that even with the tough laws, production and use of the drug
continues to increase.

Gov. Bob Holden wants to see better meth treatment and prevention efforts,
while Attorney General Jay Nixon wants tougher penalties and a prison
especially for meth offenders. Earlier this month, more than half the
state's sheriffs signed a harshly worded letter to Holden demanding more
money to fight meth production.

Last year, legislators passed a law limiting the amount of pseudoephedrine a
customer can buy and also restricting the placement of pseudoephedrine in
pharmacies, hoping to cut down on theft of the drug.