In Iowa, the governor's drug czar asked the legislature to reclassify pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in bootleg meth, as a controlled substance. That would require residents to show identification and sign documents when they buy decongestants. Other states from California to North Dakota haven't taken it that far, but do have limits on the amount of certain cold medicines individuals can buy per day.
Some big chains such as Wal-Mart and CVS have limited cold-product sales, but Missouri last year mandated limits, making it a misdemeanor for stores to sell more than two packages to a customer at a time. Meanwhile, thieves have become bolder in their pursuit of other meth essentials, in one case even stealing a thousand-gallon tank of ammonia.
In Minnesota, state Sen. Julie Rosen says meth problems are "absolutely sucking our counties dry." Last year, 425 meth labs were reported to the state, up from just 18 in 1999. Meth houses are often discovered only after chemicals cause a fire or explosion. In Minnesota and elsewhere, thousands of houses have become so contaminated that the labs themselves have become a serious health concern.
