Officials praise decline in meth labs

State and federal officials celebrated Thursday the demise of meth labs in Utah, however methamphetamine continues to be an unwelcome neighbor in Utah's communities.

"The days of an epidemic of meth labs are over," said Scott Burns, deputy director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, more commonly known as the "deputy drug czar" for the United States.

During a press conference at the State Capitol, Burns joined Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff to announce a significant drop in the number of meth labs in the last several years.

At it's peak in 1999, Utah reported busting 272 meth labs. By 2001, Utah was officially leading the nation in the per-capita number of operating labs in the United States.

In 2007, Utah reported a total of three meth lab busts, signaling a significant drop in clandestine meth production in the state.

Shurtleff credited new laws which restrict access to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which are essential ingredients to the manufacturing of the drug. He also credited the state's meth awareness campaign in spreading the word about the drug's devastating effects.

"We have declared war on meth," Huntsman said, adding in the last few years the state has spent $15 million on awareness campaigns and treatment. As a reminder of the damage meth has done, Huntsman showed a picture of meth-addicted mothers from the House of Hope that he keeps on his desk.

Methamphetamine has been linked to broken homes and an increase in crime in Utah.

Shurtleff said the fear of hazardous and toxic labs being operated in neighborhoods should now be less.

However, the demise of the domestic drug lab has been replaced by what drug enforcement officials have said is a massive influx of methamphetamine from Mexico. Federal court records show Mexican nationals are being busted with pounds of methamphetamine being smuggled into Utah and other states.

Last Wednesday, a Mexican national was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 20 years in federal prison for possessing 12 pounds of methamphetamine, which he intended to sell on the street.

Burns said anti-drug policies are working, pointing to the price of meth almost doubling in the past two years from about $675 an ounce in 2005 to $1,300 an ounce presently. Burns also said the quality of the drug has taken a dive.