Tulsa's meth lab problem

The business of making meth took a bit of a drop in Tulsa last year. Tulsa Police say they had 12% fewer labs in 2001, the first drop since 1996. But, the problem is far from solved. <br><br>News on

Monday, February 18th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The business of making meth took a bit of a drop in Tulsa last year. Tulsa Police say they had 12% fewer labs in 2001, the first drop since 1996. But, the problem is far from solved.

News on Six Crime crime reporter Lori Fullbright says more men make methamphetamine in Tulsa, but more women use it, especially those between 19 and 30 years old. It gives them energy and helps them lose weight, but the side effects are devastating.

Tulsa Police officers took care of 124 meth labs in 2001, compared to 150 the year before. That little dip downward is good news since the number of labs had been growing by leaps and bounds since the 90's. By far, most people operate their drug labs at home. Tulsa Police Sgt Howard Adair, "Most popular spot is in residences, homes and apartments. About 10% are in motels and hotels and that's a pretty steady average and about 20-25% are in vehicles."

Most of the labs were north of 21st street between Peoria and Memorial. Tulsa Police say each color on a map, which is on their web site, represents a different year, 1999, 2000 and 2001. "Last 2-3 years, we're seeing it move much more south and east so it's really spreading all over the city."

Officers arrest teenagers to senior citizens, the chemicals are cheap, the recipes are easy to get and it only takes about two hours to make a batch, which makes for a fast profit and a quick high. "I think crank is more devastating to families and lives than crack cocaine. And, the long term effects, we're just beginning to study."

But, last year's decrease may not be a trend; police already busted 24 labs in the first six weeks of this year.

The police department has also added meth lab information to its website so you can see how many labs are near your neighborhood. You can visit the web site and view the map at www.tulsapolice.org