Curtailing The Rise Of Meth Lab Accidents

According to a new study released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meth use is on the rise in the U.S., and it is getting inherently more dangerous.

In the CDC study, which covered five states (Louisiana, Oregon, Wisconsin, New York and Utah), 162 people were injured in meth accidents between 2001 and 2012.  The injuries sustained included chemical burns and respiratory ailments and some even resulted in death.

When states passed legislation in 2005 to restrict access to certain over-the-counter ingredients used by meth labs, there was a drop in the number of injuries for a short time. These restricted ingredients included ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (which are normally found in cold and cough medicines). However, meth producers began circumventing these laws by using false names and buying small amounts of these medicines from multiple locations.

Around 2008, the "shake-and-bake" method of producing meth became more popular, which involves shaking small amounts of the precursor chemicals in a two-liter plastic bottle (which would frequently burst). These bursts resulted in chemical burns and contamination to the environment.

From the five states that were involved in the CDC study, more than 1,300 meth lab-related incidents were documented. Most of the 162 injuries that occurred were so serious that some individuals required hospitalization. According to the CDC report, the scale of injuries has worsened over time. During the period 2001-2004, 75 percent of these meth lab injuries required hospital care, a figure which had risen to 90 percent by 2008-2012. Of the types of injuries reported, the majority were burns at 43 percent followed by respiratory problems at 37 percent.

The report also noted that even when a meth lab has been closed down, dangers may still exist, due to people coming into contact with remaining hazardous materials, especially employees such as cleaning contractors or housekeepers.

In order to curtail these dangerous incidents, the CDC report recommended tougher law enforcement by states as well as greater efforts and resources being directed towards properly training and protecting those law enforcement officials and firefighters who must deal directly with these meth labs.