House panel OKs bill calling for stiffer meth lab penalties

Benjamin Grove

WASHINGTON -- Congress on Tuesday moved a bill targeting methamphetamine lab operators.

The House Judiciary Committee approved and sent to the full House a bill that calls for stiffer penalties for drug cooks. It sets aside $5.5 million for training state and local officers and budgets $15 million specifically to curb methamphetamine trafficking in high intensity areas.

The bill also funnels $40 million to abuse treatment and prevention programs.

Nevada's lawmakers have taken a keen interest in the legislation, noting that Nevada leads the nation in its rate of meth labs seized: In 1998 authorities found 18.8 labs per 100,000 people -- 315 total labs, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency.

"What we need to do, and what this bill provides for, is to bolster the Drug Enforcement Agency's ability to hire new agents and train local and state law enforcement officers. Nevada should benefit from that," Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said.

Law enforcement officers found 5,786 labs nationwide in 1998, up dramatically from 263 in 1994. In Las Vegas, Metro seized 50 labs in 1995, up to 362 -- roughly one a day -- last year.

"It's just such an easy drug to produce," Gibbons said. "It's produced in hotel rooms, garages, private residences. It's becoming one of the most widely abused drugs in the U.S."

The committee removed a controversial portion of the bill that made it illegal to post meth recipes on the Internet, a possible free speech violation. The drug is made by mixing the over-the-counter cold medication pseudoephedrine with other chemicals.

"I'm not sure it's an enforceable provision," Gibbons said. "It does raise serious concerns about our Constitutional rights, but it's also an issue that needs to be addressed."

Officials say children have more and more access to methamphetamine. About 1,200 children were found at 6,000 lab seizures in 44 states, according to a recent statistic, Gibbons said.

The bill does not set a specific minimum sentence for meth lab operators, but directs the federal commission that sets sentencing standards to toughen the penalties.

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