Meth labs vanishing in Oregon after tighter laws

EUGENE — Homegrown meth labs are quickly vanishing in Oregon since the tightening last year of Oregon’s laws restricting access to pseudoephedrine (SOO-doh-eh-FED-rehn), a primary ingredient in production of the drug found in cold and allergy medications.

According to Department of Human Services statistics, law enforcement uncovered 587 labs in Oregon in 2001. So far this year, there have been 21.

Since July 2006, Oregon has required a doctor’s prescription for medications that contain pseudoephedrine.

The state’s Board of Pharmacy two years earlier had moved such medications behind pharmacy counters to limit access and prevent bulk sales to meth cooks.

But the number of Oregonians checking into treatment programs has remained steady, as has the number of drug arrests in the state. What is no longer being made in Oregon is coming in from elsewhere.