Meth seems to be making a comeback in the tri-states.
KHQA recently spoke with Captain Tim Forney of the Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force and Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish about the meth problem and what can be done about it.
Here's what we found out in this KHQA Fact Finder report.
"When the pseudoephedrine law first came out, it almost cut meth labs in half. But I think users are networking more and finding a way around that legislation," says Capt. Tim Forney.
That is one possible reason meth is making a comeback in the tri-states, but it's certainly not the sole reason. Another one could be because those arrested ten to 12 years ago, are now finishing their jail terms, or their probation is ending.
Do you think the laws are strict enough in Missouri for meth?
"I think there has to be a combination of remedies. You cannot lock them up and throw away the key because many have an addiction issue," says David Parrish.
Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish believes there has to be a multiple pronged approach to handle meth addicts.
"There has to be truth in sentencing. 15 years has to mean 15 years. You can't do that with every offender, but that is part of the issue," says Parrish.
Sheriff Parrish also says he feels law enforcement should have more of a say in what happens to offenders before they are released. He says multiple convictions on a meth charge don't add on to a sentence the way other crimes do. Therefore, meth offenders get released from prison a lot sooner than other criminals.
Both Sheriff Parrish and Captain Tim Forney say they would be in favor of a federal list.
As it is now, there are state lists that can track how many ingredients a person buys in the store, but nothing that criss crosses state boundaries.
As you can imagine, in an area like ours, it can be easy for meth makers to get the ingredients they need. Parrish and Forney say a federal list would help put a stop to that
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