Within just the past two weeks, three meth labs have been uncovered in the local area.

Two of them were located right in the downtown business districts of their respective communities.In at least one of the raids, there were small children inside the residence. It makes one wonder what type of future these youngsters have ahead of them.The first in the trio of raids happened in a home in downtown Lehighton.One happened in a mobile home in the Nis Hollow area of Mahoning Township.The third was discovered during a fire in an apartment in Tamaqua.Over the past few years, numerous meth labs have been raided, including portable labs. We're often reminded how toxic and flammable methamphetamine labs are when fire departments are dispatched to assist police, and the officers clearing the lab have to wear protective clothing.In the Lehighton raid, a 4-year-old girl and an infant boy were inside the residence.Both Lehighton and Tamaqua have had their share of major downtown fires. One can only guess what would have happened if disasters would have occurred with the labs.Obviously for such operations to remain in business, there have to be customers. Given the frequency of raids it is pretty obvious there is a serious local drug problem.Add meth to the many arrests we see in the police logs for heroin, marijuana, etc., it's frightening. Are our children safe? Are we safe in our homes from addicts who will do anything to get money to feed their habit?Our hats off to the police officers on top of the situation who make the raids and who apprehend users and dealers.Unfortunately, we don't seem to be winning the war against drugs.More effort must be put into making drug dealers and meth lab operators pay for their offenses.With dealers and manufacturers, especially such as the case in Lehighton, take the children away from these parents and make them prove they're suitable parents before getting them back.Send them to state prisons far away, not Frackville, where it will make it more difficult for their friends and relatives to pay them regular visits.Have those convicted subjected to regular, unscheduled home inspections to make sure they're clean.The war on drugs is ugly. It's time that the law is ugly with the offenders, too.Recently, a judge reduced bail for a Coaldale man charged with operating a meth lab at his home.Schuylkill County Judge Charles M. Miller on March 21 agreed to reduce Jason John Shiffert's $50,000 straight cash bail to $500 percentage cash bail. In other words, Shiffert needed only $50 to leave his cell.But Shiffert must abide by a set of conditions. He must live with his mother at 9 E. Ruddle St., Coaldale, and must not relocate without written permission from the district attorney's office.He may not possess or consume alcoholic beverages, controlled substances or drug paraphernalia; he may not travel outside the state without written permission from the district attorney; and he must submit to random drug screenings administered by the Adult Probation department.Reducing bail certainly doesn't seem like a deterrent.By RON GOWERrgower@tnonline.com