Pubdate: Sun, 27 Mar 2005
Source: Advertiser, The (Lafayette, LA)
Copyright: 2005 The Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Contact:  http://www.theadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1670
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

LAWMAKERS MOVE TO SLOW GROWTH OF ILLEGAL METH LABS

Members of the Louisiana Legislature are joining lawmakers from around the 
country in an effort to slow the proliferation of methamphetamine labs. The 
focus is on making it illegal to own some presently legal over-the-counter 
medications in large quantities. The illegal labs use common cold remedies 
such as Sudafed that contain the ingredient ephedrine to manufacture the 
dangerous, addictive drug.

Sen. James David Cain, R-Dry Creek, has filed a bill that, among other 
things, would prohibit retail stores and pharmacies from selling or 
displaying more than three packages, or 9 grams, of over-the-counter 
medicines containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine, the 
main components in sinus medication and some cold medicines.

Such legislation is needed. Long-term use of methamphetamines can result in 
addiction, stroke, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, auditory 
hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions. It can also cause damage 
to dopamine neurons that persists long after the drug has been discontinued.

Cain's bill is tough. It allows the sale of the over-the-counter drugs if 
prescribed by a doctor, but requires that people buying medications with 
ephedrine compounds in them produce photo identification with proof of age. 
A retailer who sells more than three packages of the substances to the same 
person without a prescription could be fined up to $500 for a first offense 
and up to $1,000 for subsequent violations.

Along with control of the medications that are used by meth labs, a 
campaign is needed to make users and potential users of methamphetamines 
aware of the dangers. People thinking about trying it need to know that 
besides cold medicine, there are ingredients such as drain cleaners. If 
they can penetrate the trash that clogs a drain, it is frightening to think 
what they can do to the stomach.

States such as Georgia that have passed laws similar to Cain's report 
positive results. We urge the legislature to act favorably on the bill in 
the next session.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager