NC ranks 11th in meth production nationwide

See how North Carolina compares with other states.

North Carolina investigators took down 235 meth labs last year, the 11th highest in the country. The state numbers reflect an increase in production seen across the country. After several years of decline, meth lab busts rose from 6,095 in 2007 to 10,247 last year.

The top 10 last year:

1. Missouri
2. Tennessee
3. Kentucky
4. Mississippi
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
7. Ohio
8. Arkansas
9. Illinois
10. Florida

We reported on Sunday that the production of methamphetamine in North Carolina appears on record pace, with nearly half of the meth labs discovered in primarily rural communities near Charlotte. One alarming impact, experts say, is that more children are being exposed to dangerous chemicals as their parents find easier ways to mix ingredients to make the highly addictive drug.

Click here to read the story.

North Carolina had 157 busts in 2007 and 235 last year. And South Carolina's 26 lab busts in 2007 jumped to 124 last year.

Check out the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration graphs to see how the Carolinas rank compared to the rest of the country since 2007.

Visit the DEA website for more statistics.

-- Franco Ordoñez