Blagojevich signed the legislation Friday at the site of a former meth lab in Evansville.

"Methamphetamine is an epidemic that is not just unique to this neighborhood, it's a challenge all around Illinois and our country," the governor said at the bill signing accompanied by several lawmakers and Attorney General Lisa Madigan who initiated the legislation.

Blagojevich also announced more than $3.5 million in federal funds for 20 narcotics task forces in 61 Illinois counties, mostly in rural areas where meth making has thrived.

Rapidly Spreading Crisis

Calling the drug "poor man's cocaine," Blagojevich said meth was "a destroyer to those who use it, their families, and sometimes entire communities."

Manufacturing of the drug has spread rapidly in Illinois, with 959 meth labs seized last year compared with two dozen raided in 1997, officials said. Drug task forces seized 332,155 grams of meth statewide last year, up 57 percent from 2003.

Stiffer Penalties 

Because meth is a highly volatile compound during production, one measure Blagojevich signed calls for mandatory prison time for people who produce the drug in crowded places such as hotels, motels, apartment buildings or condominiums.

The legislation also makes it a crime to serve as lookouts for meth makers, dispose of the toxic meth waste, and buy, transport or assemble some meth-making materials.