Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2005
Source: Auburn Plainsman, The (Auburn U, AL Edu)
Copyright: 2005 The Auburn Plainsman
Contact:  http://www.theplainsman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1880
Author: Tess Hollis, Assistant State and Local Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BILL TO LIMIT COLD PILLS

To combat an increase in the manufacturing of methamphetamines, the
House passed a bill Tuesday that could have people pulling out their
IDs to purchase decongestants.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Frank McDaniel, D-Albertville, seeks to
prevent people from purchasing large quantities of medicines that
contain pseudoephedrine.

Pseudoephedrine is one of the key ingredients used in making
methamphetamine, an illegal stimulant and appetite suppressant that
creates a state of euphoria and is highly addictive.

The Senate's version of the bill, sponsored by Senate President Pro
Tempore Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe, is currently being read in the Senate.

Under state law, retailers are required to store products containing
pseudoephedrine in places not accessible to the public.

Single over-the-counter sales of the products are limited to no more
than three packages.

The House bill would require the purchaser to sign a register and
present identification at the time of the purchase.

It would also limit the number of packages a customer is able to
purchase to two.

According to June Adams, a pharmacist at Adam's Pharmacy in Opelika,
Sudafed is one of the most common medicines containing
pseudoephedrine.

"I think this might help to show patterns (of people purchasing
pseudoephedrine) to police officers, although it will cause more
paperwork for us," Adams said. "If it's going to help stop it, I don't
mind doing the paperwork, but I think people are getting their
ingredients, such as pseudoephedrine, off the Internet. When they buy
it off the Internet, they are able to buy larger quantities."

According to McDaniel, 30 states are addressing the same issue with
similar bills.

"We hope this will cut back the number of meth lab busts," McDaniel
said. "Oklahoma was the first state to pass a similar bill, and it has
seen an 80 percent decrease in meth lab busts."

Meth is usually made in houses or basements, and it is cooked in home
labs. Most of the ingredients can be easily purchased at a local
supermarket or drug store.

McDaniel said methamphetamine is "one of the most dangerous drugs out
there." He attributed its popularity to its low cost.

"This bill will give law enforcement more tools in cracking down on
drug dealers," he said. "It's not going to stop the making and
distribution of drugs, but we think it will decrease it a lot."

An amendment in the House's bill would change the way products
containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are manufactured.

According to the amendment, by 2009 products containing
pseudoephedrine or ephedrine can't be sold in the state unless they
are manufactured so the ingredients cannot be extracted.

"Not only will this put products (containing pseudoephe-drine) back on
the shelves, but it will keep people from making meth because the
product cannot be broken," McDaniel said.

Adams said the amendment should be easy for drug manufacturers to
comply with, given the amount of time they have to adjust their products.

This year, the Lee County Sheriff's office has recorded about 30 cases
involving meth labs.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said his office has seen a significant
increase in meth lab busts since the first case in 1999.

"I think the increase can be contributed to the easy accessibility of
the ingredients and the recipes," Jones said.

Recipes can be obtained through the Internet.

"Anything at all will help, but I think the bill should be stronger,"
Jones said. "States should work together to create a uniform law from
state to state. If the bill only passes in Alabama, people can just go
over to Georgia or Mississippi to purchase the ingredients."

Jones emphasized the safety hazards caused by meth labs.

"In a lot of cases, we have seen fires and explosions caused by the
mixing of so many chemicals," Jones said. "In the most recent cases we
have seen children present, which is a huge concern."

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