Pubdate: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV) Copyright: 2005 Charleston Daily Mail Contact: http://www.dailymail.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) ANTI-METH LAWS EASE THE PROBLEM Now Congress Is Considering Adopting A New Law From The States For several years now, people have used common products to cook up a powerful drug in their homes. The epidemic of methamphetamine that has hit the nation has concentrated largely in rural areas. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Nik Green was shot and killed on the day after Christmas 2003 on a traffic check. An investigation of the trunk of the car revealed the driver was about to set up a meth lab. Meth requires either ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, ingredients common in over-the-counter cold remedies. Oklahoma legislators reacted to Green's death by making these cold drugs go back behind the counters. The law requires purchasers to show a photo ID and to sign a log. Pharmacists agreed and the law took effect last year. This year, Gov. Joe Manchin pushed lawmakers to pass a similar law. The Legislature readily agreed. And the law's impact was felt almost immediately. Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford is convinced of that. "We've gone from busting three or four labs a day to busting two or three labs a week," Rutherford told reporter George Gannon last week. The slowdown in calls to this department's tip hotline does not bother him. Rutherford said, "In all honesty, I'm hopeful we're making such a big dent in the problem, the people aren't seeing it as much so we're not getting as many tips." The apparent success of these Nik Green laws has caught the eye of Congress. The Senate Judiciary Committee crafted a federal law that would place restrictions on these cold medications. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and others are making sure the federal law would not pre-empt efforts in his state and others that already are on the books. The committee agreed and sent to the floor a bill that protects state laws. The West Virginia congressional delegation needs no instruction on such legislation. The need for federal legislation is real. Even non-prescription medications must be handled with care. The overarching lesson here is that federalism still works. Not all the wisdom of the republic resides in Washington. State officials in Oklahoma and other states felt the problem first and dealt with it quickly. They taught the national leaders. Members of Congress should always keep that in mind. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin