Indiana Number One in Meth

VINCENNES, IND. (WTHI) -       Indiana is known for a lot of things.

      It's tops in the nation in the production of popcorn and the home of open wheel racing, but it also has a distinction that is not quite so good.

     The state is also number one in the nation for the number of meth labs.

      Last summer police in Vincennes uncovered a meth operation in an apartment  that led to the recovery of dozens of small one pot meth labs.

      Knox County Sheriff Mike Morris says the drug that has been a bane for decade really hasn't been around that long.

     "Mid to late 90's was one of the first cases I can recall of manufacturing methamphetamines here in the state," said Sheriff Morris.

     As the problem grew, so did the population at area jails.

     Now, it's not surprising to police that Indiana is tops in the nation in the number of meth labs.

     "The manufacture is still available," said Morris.  "Even with the newer statutes it's still being done. It has slowed down.  They are still conducting the process of manufacturing methamphetamine."

     Officials say they have seen meth makers go from fancy chemistry operations down to the one pot method that's so popular now, and they say that as long as there is a desire for this highly addictive drug someone is going to figure out a way to make it."

     "When there is a state statute created, it's a circumvention process," said Morris.  "That's what they do.  They circumvent one statute to gain whatever materials they need to manufacture methamphetamine."

     Authorities around the state still want to make it tougher on meth makers and are proposing a new law that would make any product containing ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine available only by prescription.
 
     Over the years several Wabash Valley counties have had the largest number of labs taken down in the state, but that dubious distinction this year belongs to Madison County.