A new report says that while seizures of meth labs are up in Indiana, the number of labs is also up in the state.
The publication from Purdue Extension says Indiana saw nearly 1,800 meth lab seizures in 2013, the highest of any state in the country. Data supplied in the report describes the trends in illegal drug use in rural areas and proposes a few solutions to the problem.
Starke County took the top spot for meth lab seizures per 10,000 residents between 2011 and 2013. According to the report, the number of meth lab seizures began rising in 2007 after a slight decline a few years before that.
Rural communities are considered especially susceptible to manufacturing methamphetamine due to the broad presence of anhydrous ammonia found in many fertilizer products.
The report recommends that rural communities get informed on meth use and its addictive properties. It also recommends implementing a project that uses art and other information campaigns to reach local residents. That project has seen success in other states.
[This story has been corrected due to an error found in the Purdue Extension report. Check back on Saturday for a story explaining the change.]
