Tennessee sees dramatic increase in meth labs

We reported here that there are signs that meth is making a comeback as manufacturers of the drug find new ways around laws that limit the sale of the ingredients used to make the drug. Nicole Young of The Tennessean reports, "The resurgence began when tighter border security made it increasingly difficult to import meth from Mexico, and when producers here discovered they could make meth more quickly and efficiently by using new ingredients and new methods."

In Tennessee the record number of labs busted was 1,559 in 2004. That number shrunk to 589 in 2007 but law enforcement officials say they are on course to bust about 1,300 labs in 2009.

To circumvent laws that limit the purchase of some of the ingredients used to make meth makers are using a practice called smurfing. "The meth manufacturer, or cook, hires people to travel to several stores and sometimes other states to buy the legal limit of pseudoephedrine or ephedrine," writes Young. "They take the supplies to the cook, who in turn offers the smurfer a discount on meth." Tennessee also struggles with the problem because of the ease of traveling to neighboring states for supplies.

New techniques, commonly referred to as "shake and bake," "one bottle" or "one pot" are making the process of cooking meth faster, harder to detect and more dangerous for users. Due to the difficulty of securing ingredients some makers are adding new products, "which include batteries, particularly those containing lithium, Icy Cold packs, rubber tubing, duct tape, camping fuel or ether," adds Young. (Read more)