Pot times July 15, 2005
MO Law Tightens Restrictions On Potential Meth
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1118/a03.htmlNewshawk: chip
Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 MO. LAW TIGHTENS RESTRICTIONS ON POTENTIAL METH
INGREDIENTS
Source: Southeast Missourian (MO)
Copyright: 2005 Southeast Missourian
Contact:
letters@semissourian.com
Website: http://www.semissourian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1322
Author: Betsy Taylor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm
(Methamphetamine)
ST. LOUIS -- Tighter retail restrictions went into effect Friday in
Missouri for certain products that can be used to make the illegal drug
methamphetamine.
Police and pharmacists said any minor inconvenience for customers should be
offset by reductions in meth production.
"We're at an epidemic. We're overrun with what we call Mom and Pop --
or Beavis and Butthead -- labs," said Franklin County Detective Cpl.
Jason Grellner.
He said meth addicts can feed their own addiction by getting a hold of common
products and mixing a batch of the drug, even in a bathtub. But their
makeshift labs use volatile chemicals and are dangerous for addicts, family
members and police.
The new law aims to curb meth production by better tracking of certain
ingredients. The powder pill forms of medicines containing ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine must be placed behind the pharmacy counter and sold only by
pharmacists and their technicians. Stores without pharmacists will no
longer sell those pills in Missouri.
Customers buying the medicines now must be at least 18, show photo
identification and beginning Sept. 13 they'll have to sign a log that
police can later review. The restrictions do not apply to the gel cap or
liquid forms of the medicines, because they are not easily transformed into meth.
Missouri has led the nation in meth lab seizures in recent years, busting more
than 2,700 meth labs last year, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has said.
The state had previously put other controls in place. A 2003 law required
products with pseudoephedrine or ephedrine as the sole active ingredient to be
placed either behind the checkout counter, within 10 feet and a clear view of
the counter or to be tagged with an electronic anti-theft device. Some
large retailers placed their own additional restriction on sale of the products.
There also are new limits on how much of the products consumers can buy.
The new law limits people to 9 grams a month of any powder pill medicine
containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine. For gel caps and liquid forms,
the 9-gram restriction would apply to each purchase.
Nine grams is equal to 300 tablets of 30 milligram Sudafed, which typically
lasts four hours. That means customers could buy about 12 boxes containing
24 pills each month -- more than enough to take the maximum dose of the medicine
around the clock.
"It's worth a little bit of aggravation, if we can make a big impact on
this meth problem," said Ron Fitzwater, chief executive officer of the
Missouri Pharmacy Association.
Meth bills were SB10 and HB441.
On the Net:
Legislature: http://www.moga.state.mo.us
Governor: http://www.gov.mo.gov
Missouri Pharmacy Association: http://www.morx.com
