PLENTY OF ACCORD IN ATTACKING METH LABS

In an era of political divisiveness, nothing brings lawmakers, law enforcement agencies and top elected officials in Missouri together more than the epidemic of methamphetamine labs that produce a highly addictive drug made from easy-to-obtain ingredients.

What to do about the meth crisis is of particular importance to Missouri. The state ranks No. 1 in the nation for the number of illegal meth labs that have been uncovered and shut down. Only five years ago, there were just three meth labs found in the entire state. Last year, the number had grown to some 500 labs producing the drug whose popularity is due to the ease of production and the availability of basic ingredients.

This is why Missouri's legislators are pretty much in agreement at the start of this year's session in Jefferson City that tough new laws need to be enacted to deal with the meth problem. Attorney General Jay Nixon also has been traveling around the state pitching stiffer penalties. And last week Gov. Mel Carnahan visited several cities to draw attention to his call for action in dealing with meth producers and users.

Among the items of agreement: Missouri is one of the top meth production states in the United States, in large part because so much of the state is rural. Meth producers find it easy to hide in sparsely populated areas of the state, which is why Southeast Missouri is the busiest area for meth labs.

Lawmakers, law officers, prosecutors, the attorney general and the governor also agree that the key steps to be taken include reducing the amount of meth possession to warrant felony charges, expanding the list of readily available ingredients whose sale would have to be registered when purchased in bulk, and more funding for the state's 24 regional drug task forces to locate and halt meth labs operating in farmhouses, mobile homes, motel rooms, pickup campers -- just about anywhere that isn't likely to be detected easily by neighbors or police.

Carnahan is asking the Legislature to earmark an extra $3.4 million to combat the meth industry, in addition to stiffer laws. The money would be used specifically to beef up the already frenetic pace of rooting out the meth labs and shutting them down.

Right now, much of the cost of dealing with meth labs comes from having to remove and destroy extremely dangerous chemical concoctions.

If Missouri is successful -- and it is clear that there is general agreement on the need to act boldly -- in deterring the meth labs, surrounding states need to brace themselves. It is unlikely the meth traffic will be stopped. More than likely, it will simply move to another state where the pressure isn't so great, at least for now.