Pubdate: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 Source: Messenger-Inquirer (KY) Copyright: 2002 Messenger-Inquirer Contact: http://www.messenger-inquirer.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1285 Author: Joy Campbell, Messenger-Inquirer LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORTING CRALL'S METH BILL FRANKFORT -- Rep. Brian Crall and Sen. Robert Stivers have introduced legislation that would make it illegal to possess more than 24 grams of pseudoephedrine and establish it as a Class D felony for a first offense. Pseudoephedrine, a drug contained in over-the-counter cold and sinus tablets, is one of the ingredients used in making methamphetamine. "This clarifies that possession of this drug in these quantities is a crime itself," said Jim Acquisto, a detective sergeant in the narcotics division of the Daviess County Sheriff's Department. Crall, an Owensboro Republican, and Stivers, a Manchester Republican, discussed House Bill 644 at a news conference Tuesday at the Capitol flanked by Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain and Acquisto. A table in the front of the room contained cold tablets and other common household products that can be used to manufacture meth. "Since 1998, western Kentucky has been in an epidemic with regard to the use of methamphetamine because of the ease of making it," Cain said. "It's a volatile and dangerous process." More than 200 meth labs have been discovered in Daviess County since 1998, Cain said. "When we go to forums and provide education on this drug, we always get asked why there aren't penalties for possession of these precursors," Cain said. "This legislation was born out of that concern." Crall said the meth problem is as significant to western Kentucky as the oxycontin problem is in eastern Kentucky. Stivers said the meth problem is gradually moving east and needs to be dealt with before it gets out of hand. "This legislation will assist law enforcement in reducing the availability of the precursors to methamphetamine without infringing or impinging on the rights of individuals to legally buy and sell the drug," Crall said. Gay Dwyer of the Kentucky Retail Federation said the bill has KRF's support. "This focuses on the misuse of products, which is also a problem for retailers who are selling for legitimate purposes," Dwyer said. Cain said local retailers have worked with law enforcement on monitoring the sale of cold and sinus medications that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine. Acquisto said he has had cases in which large doses of the tablets have been found in an individual's possession. A charge was dismissed recently because that was the only ingredient found on the suspect. "We don't want to arrest someone who's using the drug legally," Acquisto said. "The smallest lab in Daviess County -- the mom-and-pop labs -- will accumulate 1,000 pills before they start cooking. That's well over 24 grams." Acquisto said 24 grams would equal about 800 of the 30 milligram tablets or 400 in 60 milligrams. "In my 28 years of law enforcement, I have not seen a substance that has had such a negative impact. It has a stranglehold on western Kentucky," Cain said. The sheriff said the reason it is so prevalent in western Kentucky is that a key ingredient, anhydrous ammonia, is found in almost every field where corn and soybeans are grown. "Those people who make meth call it a field of dreams, and they're not talking about baseball," Cain said. The legislation doesn't apply to retailers, pharmacists, licensed health care professionals and others who possess the precursor drugs for legitimate business reasons. The bill would establish unlawful possession and unlawful distribution of a meth precursor such as pseudoephedrine as a Class D felony for the first offense and a Class C felony for each offense after that. Those charges would be enhanced to Class C felonies for the first offense if they are committed in the presence of a minor. The bill would increase the penalties for manufacturing meth if it is done in the presence of a minor. The penalty would be raised from Class B to Class A felony. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D