2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Lack of strict laws result in fewer meth lab busts
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Nation
ST. LOUIS - The fire hoses had been rolled up.
The 11-year-old burn victim had been taken to the hospital.
And Jefferson County's Sgt. Gary Higginbotham was left shaking his head as he surveyed the scene of the methamphetamine lab explosion.
He knew that, in other states, authorities could have quickly caught the Festus, Mo., homeowners' illegal purchases of a key ingredient to make meth.
But not here - not in the heart of America's fight against meth labs.
Missouri has long led the nation in meth lab busts. Illinois hasn't been far behind. Yet neither state has adopted stricter laws for obtaining meth's key ingredient, pseudoephedrine. The laws are credited with helping Oklahoma and Oregon see the biggest declines of meth labs of any states.
In Oregon, the purchase would have required multiple doctors and prescriptions.
But in Missouri and Illinois, all the addicts had to do was sign paper logs that are often too cumbersome for police to check.
Missouri is set to strengthen oversight, but police worry meth cooks will cross state lines to buy supplies. So does Missouri Rep. Jeff Roorda, who is pushing for a tougher law.
"I shudder to think what people are going to say 20 years from now as to why we didn't eliminate this problem," Roorda said.
Awaiting reform, Jefferson County officers have struggled to keep up with a list of who exceeds the limit.
"She was on the list," Higginbotham said, his eyebrows rising in frustration as he put chemicals removed from the charred basement into his truck. "And it's sad because by the time we get to them, the meth is already made or something like this happens."
The 11-year-old burn victim had been taken to the hospital.
And Jefferson County's Sgt. Gary Higginbotham was left shaking his head as he surveyed the scene of the methamphetamine lab explosion.
He knew that, in other states, authorities could have quickly caught the Festus, Mo., homeowners' illegal purchases of a key ingredient to make meth.
But not here - not in the heart of America's fight against meth labs.
Missouri has long led the nation in meth lab busts. Illinois hasn't been far behind. Yet neither state has adopted stricter laws for obtaining meth's key ingredient, pseudoephedrine. The laws are credited with helping Oklahoma and Oregon see the biggest declines of meth labs of any states.
In Oregon, the purchase would have required multiple doctors and prescriptions.
But in Missouri and Illinois, all the addicts had to do was sign paper logs that are often too cumbersome for police to check.
Missouri is set to strengthen oversight, but police worry meth cooks will cross state lines to buy supplies. So does Missouri Rep. Jeff Roorda, who is pushing for a tougher law.
"I shudder to think what people are going to say 20 years from now as to why we didn't eliminate this problem," Roorda said.
Awaiting reform, Jefferson County officers have struggled to keep up with a list of who exceeds the limit.
"She was on the list," Higginbotham said, his eyebrows rising in frustration as he put chemicals removed from the charred basement into his truck. "And it's sad because by the time we get to them, the meth is already made or something like this happens."
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