In Our View

METH WAR

The arrests Friday by the Jasper County Sheriff's Department of 12 people
allegedly involved in manufacturing methamphetamine and the closing of two
meth labs are reasons for cheer. Jasper County has been the hotbed of
activity by meth makers for the last several years, a discouraging fact in
which residents can hardly take pride.

As has been stated on any number of occasions, meth is dangerous in a
variety of ways:

It is made from a variety of over-the-counter products, including
medication, antifreeze, camping fuel and fertilizer. It is unlikely that
the people who cook the stuff have any idea of the toxicity of what they
make. Nor, for that matter, are they hygienic in handling the final product.

Because of the many chemical components, meth fumes are highly toxic and
even lethal. Law enforcement officers who handle the residue of the meth
operations wear special suits to protect themselves from breathing the
fumes or coming into contact with the hazardous materials.

Meth can be highly volatile. It can explode, damaging or destroying the
garages, basements, motel rooms and vans in which it is made, and putting
people nearby at risk of life and limb.

As of March 1, the Missouri State Highway Patrol had counted 2,174
meth-related incidents for 2002, up from 2,130 in 2001. But new labs seem
to spring up almost overnight to meet the continuing demand.

So what is the attraction of meth?

For the manufacturer and the seller, it is simple: dollars. The drug is
relatively easy to make, and many of the ingredients are found on store
shelves. What makes Jasper County so popular, we suspect, is a combination
of rural areas, small towns and Interstate 44, which can provide quick
access to markets in larger cities.

As for users, meth is less expensive than many other street drugs and is
highly addictive. Obviously, given the number of meth labs busted in the
last few years, the drug is available.

State law has provided harsher penalties for those who operate meth labs.
Businesses keep tabs on individuals who buy large quantities of items that
can be used for making methamphetamine, such as cough and allergy
medicines. Tips help, too. A telltale sign, for instance, is the unpleasant
smell associated with active meth labs.

Despite the high-profile war being waged against meth, Missouri has
retained its ranking as the nation's No. 1 state for meth producers. That's
what makes even the closing of two meth labs reason for cheer, even though
it may be short-lived.