Methamphetamine

House Passes Tougher Penalties For Meth Producers

Jessica Jones — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:19:37 +0000

State lawmakers in the House have passed a measure that would make it a felony for convicted meth producers to possess pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient needed to produce methamphetamine.

Republican representative Craig Horn says the bill would help the state fight against the illegal drug, which he says is produced in every county across North Carolina.

Meth Lab Busts Jump 34% in 2012, Sets New State Record

Catherine Brand — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 23:28:00 +0000

There were 460 meth lab busts in the state last year. That's a record high. It's up from 344 busts the year before. State Bureau of Investigation agents attribute the rise to an increase in a simpler method of making the drug called "one-pot" or "shake and bake." Criminals cook the meth in a plastic soda bottle - using much smaller levels of the main ingredient, pseudo-ephedrine - commonly found in cold medicine.

Cracking Down on Meth Labs

Jeff Tiberii — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:10:00 +0000

North Carolina Law Enforcement officials plan to crack down on methamphetamine labs in 2012. Jeff Tiberii has more.

Jeff Tiberii: Last year there were 331 illegal methamphetamine lab busts in North Carolina, an all-time high. The main ingredient in the drug is pseudoephedrine, which is found in Sudafed. Beginning this week all retailers will be hooked into a tracking system tracing pseudoephedrine purchases. North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper:

Some Cold Meds May Require Prescription

Will Michaels — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:45:00 +0000

North Carolina lawmakers discuss a proposal this week that would require consumers to get a prescription for medicines that contain pseudoephedrine. That's a key ingredient in methamphetamine. The number of meth labs has been on the rise lately as producers are finding more efficient ways to make it. Consumer advocates say the bill would make it difficult to buy medicine for common ailments like seasonal allergies.

Smaller Meth Labs On The Rise

Will Michaels — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Methamphetamine labs are on the rise in North Carolina. That's according to state officials who say drug makers are finding new ways to produce it. The number of meth labs had dropped dramatically in 2007, when state lawmakers passed a bill limiting sales of decongestant medicines containing pseudoephedrine. That's a key ingredient in methamphetamine.

Attorney General Roy Cooper says meth producers are now making the drug in smaller batches to get around the law and avoid detection: