Describing the Market
Any supply reduction strategy for methamphetamine must first inquire as to the source of the drug. Available information regarding the amount of methamphetamine seized from methamphetamine laboratories of varying sizes suggests that most of the methamphetamine consumed in the United States is likely to originate from "superlabs" (laboratories with a daily production capacity exceeding 10 pounds), and either smuggled into the United States from outside of our borders, or produced within our borders, often by Mexican criminal organizations.
Similarly, we believe that a smaller amount is produced in smaller quantities at "small toxic laboratories" (STLs), which can be found in residences, vehicles, and makeshift structures. The impact of STLs has been of particular note on a number of levels. First, children in and around STLs are harmed by the toxic chemicals used in the methamphetamine manufacturing process. Small toxic labs contaminate the environment when methamphetamine cooks dump their toxic chemicals into the water table and onto farmland. Also, these labs create life-threatening hazards, such as explosion or chemical toxicity, which harms not only the people cooking methamphetamine, but first responders, who try to save lives by entering burning and contaminated sites. As noted above, the amount of methamphetamine consumed in the United States originating from these smaller clandestine laboratories is believed to be smaller than that originating from superlabs. However, due to the effects described above, they are a particularly pernicious problem.
Attacking the supply from both sources—superlabs and STLs is important, but each requires a somewhat different approach.
