Pubdate: Tue, 22 Mar 2005
Source: Sand Mountain Reporter, The (Albertsville, AL)
Copyright: 2005 Sand Mountain Reporter.
Contact:  http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1713
Author: State Rep. Frank McDaniel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CONFRONTING THE METH CRISIS AT HOME

Dear Editor,

Everyone knows that drug addition destroys millions of lives and families 
across the United States every year, but many may not realize that the 
problem is very serious in our own backyard.

Perhaps no illegal drug has done more damage to Alabama's children and 
communities in the last few years than methamphetamine.

Unfortunately, methamphetamine or "meth" as it is popularly known, is now 
prevalent in rural areas and small towns across the state, and our cities 
are not immune to the problem either.

One of the main reasons meth is wreaking so much havoc is because those who 
produce it have easy access to the basics ingredient needed to make it.

That ingredient is producers can simply walk into a store that sells cold 
medicine and purchase box after box of cold tablets. They then melt the 
pills down in their homemade meth lab, which begins the process of 
producing the drug.

In an effort to address the problem, the state legislature is considering a 
bill that would make it much harder for meth producers to purchase large 
quantities of cold tablets. The law would strengthen existing restrictions 
on the sales of medications containing pseudoephredrine.

It would require those purchasing pseudoephredrine to present proper 
identification, be over 18 years of age and require customers to sign a 
register confirming their purchase.

The register would be used to create a database to track large, multiple 
purchases of this base ingredient used in the manufacture of meth.

Last year, Oklahoma passed a similar law, and that state now reports that 
meth lab seizures are down about 60 percent. According to a recent 60 
Minutes Wednesday story, approximately 37 other states and the federal 
government are considering tougher laws to regulate pseduoephredrine.

The fact that these products are too easily accessible, and those who make 
meth in Alabama currently have no barriers to buying as much cold medicine 
as they can fine.

As we all know, cold tablets can be purchased not only at pharmacies, but 
at grocery stores, all-purpose stores and convenience stores. Many meth 
producers will go to numerous different stores in one day to avoid arousing 
suspicion at any one place.

Meth is a viciously addictive drug, and it will drive an addict to 
sacrifice everything, including his family and his own well being just to 
find his or her next high.

To those hooked on meth, nothing is more important: not their children, not 
their spouse, not their elderly parents. Some continue to do meth until 
their teeth literally rot.

Any way you look at it, meth present a very ugly picture.

I urge all of you to be on the lookout for any family members or friends 
who may be hooked on this terrible drug, and encourage them to get help 
before countless more lives are destroyed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom