Pubdate: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 Source: Daily Herald (IL) Copyright: 2000 The Daily Herald Company Contact: http://www.dailyherald.com/ KEEP POLICE EYES ON EASY-TO-MAKE DRUG Most of us think of drug production as something that happens in Colombia. However, drug labs are springing up in Illinois faster than subdivisions in the suburbs. In 1997, authorities discovered 24 illegal labs producing methamphetamine. In 1999, they nabbed 246 such labs. That's a tenfold increase in just two years. It gets worse. The Illinois State Police expect to seize more than 400 labs this year. The problem is growing because methamphetamine is relatively easy to make. It is also addictive. Meth, as the drug is called, can be created from many common household or easily available commercial items. Setting up a laboratory is relatively simple. That makes producing this drug easy, but policing it a nightmare. It would be hard for law enforcement to find every basement or garage converted into a facility for making meth. Meth hasn't hit it big yet in the Chicago area, due to the supply of relatively cheap cocaine. But we urge Illinois State Police to keep closing down producers in the rest of the state, lest meth start seeping into our area, too. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens