Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jun 2002 Source: State Journal-Register (IL) Copyright: 2002 The State Journal-Register Contact: http://www.sj-r.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/425 Author: Kris Wernowski Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH LAB SEIZURES INCREASE The ease of producing methamphetamine has helped spread meth through Illinois like a flu virus. One meth cook tells five people how to make it and they each tell five people - and the problem grows. Illinois State Police figures show that meth use continues to expand in Illinois, although the pattern is not consistent statewide. While the number of lab seizures has leveled off in some Illinois counties, the totals are still increasing in others. In central Illinois, the number of methamphetamine labs seized in Macoupin County jumped from six in 2000 to 19 in 2001. Morgan and Greene counties reported their first cases of seized meth labs in 2001. On the other hand, in Adams County, where meth apparently first entered Illinois, there was a decrease from 31 cases in 2000 to 19 in 2001. Christian County saw a drop from 17 to eight labs. Six labs were seized in Sangamon County in 2000 and five in 2001. Montgomery County broke up 29 labs in 2001, up from five the previous year. Before 1996, abuse of methamphetamine was a minor problem in Illinois. Meth was far more prominent in California, Oregon and Washington. Once meth manufacturers realized the Midwest was an ideal place to set up shop, however, the problem grew quickly. In 1996, only one meth lab was discovered in Illinois - near Quincy, in Adams County. Since then, the numbers have increased each year. In 1997, there were 24 seizures in the state; in 1998, there were 98; in 1999, there were 246; in 2000, there were 403 seizures of meth labs. And last year, authorities seized 666 meth production facilities. Master Sgt. Bruce Liebe, clandestine laboratory program coordinator for the Illinois State Police, said the number of labs seized this year, through May, is 294, but "that number will conceivably go higher." Meth producers like rural areas in part because the strong smell given off by the process of meth production is more noticeable in a city. "When you are living side by side with more people, that's going to be more noticeable and draw attention," said Macoupin County Sheriff Gary Wheeler. "Farmhouses don't have anyone around them. When they're cooking, they don't draw that attention." Rural areas also are popular lab sites because one of the key raw materials for meth, anhydrous ammonia, a widely used nitrogen-based fertilizer, is available in farm tanks. Anhydrous thefts have become a growing problem in rural areas. There are drawbacks for the meth chemist, however. Anhydrous ammonia is a volatile substance that can be deadly if a person is exposed to large amounts or ingests it. Contact with the skin can lead to chemical burns. One attempt to steal anhydrous ammonia in Macoupin County left a potentially dangerous level of the gas in the area. "We had a case where someone left the valve open on a tank and it fogged the whole area," Wheeler said. "We checked all of the hospitals to see if we could find the person who attempted to steal it because we just knew they got blasted." With such hazardous chemicals used in meth production, why is meth becoming so popular in Illinois? "It's not like cocaine where you have to find a big dealer," said Virden Police Chief Brad Vance. "They can just make it." Aside from anhydrous ammonia, most of the ingredients can be found in a local hardware store. Production is inexpensive, and Vance said a gram of meth has a street value of about $100, depending on its quality. The physical effects of meth include an increase in the user's attention span and a decrease in fatigue. Meth users are characterized by their ability to remain awake for extended periods. "We had one girl who came into this jail and bragged that she had been awake for 23 straight days," Wheeler said. The dangers of meth heavily outweigh any pleasures claimed by users. Repeated use of meth can cause anxiety, paranoia, violent behavior and hallucinations. Use of meth also can cause an inflammation of the heart lining and can, in some cases, lead to a stroke or other cardiovascular problems. A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman said most meth overdoses occur when people are "chasing the high." He said a user's body becomes saturated with the drug, making it hard for people to get the feeling they got the first time they used meth. Macoupin County meth statistics may indicate a growing problem, but Wheeler sees the numbers in a different way. "These numbers are the number of reported busts," Wheeler said. "That means my guys are out their doing their jobs." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake