Pubdate: Sat, 07 Dec 2002 Source: Indianapolis Star (IN) Copyright: 2002 Indianapolis Newspapers Inc. Contact: http://www.starnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/210 Author: Will Higgins ALTERING FERTILIZER COULD LEAVE METH LABS LACKING INGREDIENT People who brew up methamphetamine, the highly addictive, speedlike drug, at home may soon be scratching their heads and looking for a new recipe. One of their key ingredients, anhydrous ammonia, could be on the verge of losing its get-high properties. The highly toxic liquid, used legitimately as a fertilizer, is found on farms -- and easily stolen from farms. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in North Laurel, Md., now have found in lab tests that by adding an iron compound, anhydrous ammonia still can fertilize, but it becomes practically impotent in meth-making. Even if the research pans out after further testing, a new, improved anhydrous ammonia is not the silver bullet for meth, cautions Eric Lawrence, director of forensic analysis for the Indiana State Police and its top meth lab expert. "We're cautiously hopeful," Lawrence said. Meth labs, once a rural phenomenon, an updated version of the moonshiner's still, began appearing in Marion County only a few years ago. The operators typically aren't big dealers. More often they make only enough for themselves and their friends. The drug also is available "on the street," imported in large quantities. Police say most of the meth in Marion County comes from Texas and California. In its powder form, meth is snorted; in its liquid form, it's injected. The cost is minimal. Ten dollars' worth of meth gets a person out of his mind for an afternoon, compared with about a 30-minute high for the same amount of crack cocaine. The meth labs pose a danger to anyone nearby. Two years ago, a mishap at a meth lab in a Far-Westside motel caused a fire. This year, also on the Far Westside, a meth lab blew up in an apartment. There were no injuries in that incident, but last year in Lebanon a man was killed after a meth lab exploded in an apartment he was visiting. Even when meth labs don't blow up, they're trouble. They generate hazardous waste. After a lab is busted, the cleanup cost can reach $4,500, said Sgt. Dave Phelps of the Indiana State Police. In Indiana, officials are on track to bust 800 meth labs this year. That's up from 681 last year and 129 three years ago. "Through the '90s it just kind of doubled," said Phelps, who so far this year has helped dismantle 100 meth labs. "Then, in '99, it just kind of exploded -- and has continued to." While anhydrous ammonia is used in most of the meth labs found in Indiana, there is another way to make methamphetamine -- the "red phosphorous" method. Red phosphorous is available at chemical supply stores -- though the purchaser must sign for it. It's also found on the striking plates of matchbooks. Lawrence said it takes 1,800 matchbooks to produce 1 gram of pure red phosphorous, but he has seen it done. "We've found trash bags full of matchbooks," he said. "These people have a lot of energy." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom