Pubdate: Fri, 16 May 2003
Source: Herald-Citizen (TN)
Copyright: 2003 Herald-Citizen, a division of Cleveland Newspapers, Inc
Contact:  http://www.herald-citizen.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1501
Author: Lindsay Pride

COUNCIL PASSES RESTRICTIONS ON METH INGREDIENTS

The first city ordinance in the state that would make the buying and 
selling of some household products used to make the illegal drug 
methamphetamine more restrictive passed on the first reading by the 
Cookeville City Council last night. The ordinance limits the sale of 
over-the-counter packages having a sole active ingredient of ephedrine, 
pseudoephedrine or any of their salts to 100 tablets or no more than 3 
grams except for in cases of prescriptions.

It also requires that all packages of any drug having a sole active 
ingredient of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine be displayed and offered for 
sale only behind a counter where the public is not permitted, within a 
locked display case or within 6 feet of a register located on a check-out 
counter.

Those purchasing products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine will be 
required to present identification and sign a register with the specific 
quantity of ephedrine used, their name and residential or mailing address, 
driver's license number, a description of the intent of usage, the date and 
the signature of the retailer.

The register will be retained for three years by the retailer, which must 
present it on demand from any law enforcement officer or representative of 
the district attorney general's office.

"A lot of retailers are already trying to limit it," said City Councilman 
Ricky Shelton, who sponsored the ordinance. "But many are selling it out 
the back door. Putting a 3-gram limit on it and making it within 6 feet of 
the checkout counter will help with shoplifting. The registry will 
hopefully deter that too.

"If a name keeps coming up on every registry, then we'll know what they're 
doing," he said.

"If it saves a life or keeps a child from being put in foster care, then 
it's worth the inconvenience," said Shelton of the registry that will be 
required for persons purchasing products used in the making of meth.

State Sen. Charlotte Burks, who recently sponsored legislation in the 
Senate that would fine retailers that sell excessive amounts of 
over-the-counter drugs containing key ingredients for making meth, also 
stopped in at the city council's meeting last night.

"I just came to cheer you on," Sen. Burks told council members.

Other council members as well as Cookeville Regional Medical Center's 
Emergency Room Director Sullivan Smith and Clarence Smith of Smith Pharmacy 
also voiced their enthusiasm about the council's approval of the ordinance.

"We want your input," Cookeville Mayor Chuck Womack told the pharmacist. 
"And we also want input from the State Pharmacy Association to make sure 
this is a model that can be taken throughout the state."

All council members voted in favor of the ordinance on the first reading.

"Hopefully, this can be a model taken in other cities in Tennessee and put 
pressure on the legislature," Shelton said. "We as a city can only fine $50 
at a time. The state can mandate stiffer penalties."

In other business:

* The council voted against awarding a contract for a mosquito control 
program to McGee Pest Control Inc. for $112,784.

Council members discussed concerns for the mosquito populations and the 
West Nile Virus, but the majority voted against spending the money for 
mosquito spraying.

Councilman Steve Qualls moved to approve spending the money for mosquito 
spraying, with Councilman Shelton seconding.

"Maybe it's where I live, but I don't notice that many mosquitoes," 
Councilman Sam Sallee said. "I'm not sure this is the best investment for 
our community."

Council members Sallee, Shelton, Womack and Jean Davis voted against the 
contract, and Qualls voted in favor of it.

* The council approved on the final reading of the establishment of a 
historic district overlay zone for certain properties on East Broad Street 
and Freeze Street as presented by Cookeville City Planner James Mills.

* The council also approved on the final reading an ordinance amending part 
of the Cookeville Municipal Code relative to adult establishments.

* A public hearing was set for an ordinance on the closure and abandonment 
of a portion of an alley between West 3rd and West 4th streets and North 
Oak and Cedar avenues for June 5 at 6 p.m.

* A public hearing was set for the rezoning of lots of N. Washington Avenue 
and a vacant lot on Davis Avenue from commercial neighborhood and 
single-family residential to medical services also for June 5 at 6 p.m.

* Distinguished Service Medals were presented by Cookeville Fire Chief Gene 
Schmid to firefighters Donnie Vinson, Jeff Emerson and Bo Power for their 
help in saving a Tutco employee's life recently by using an automatic 
external defibrillator.

Tutco general manager Brad McGuire was recognized by the City of Cookeville 
as the volunteer of the month for his assistance in CPR to the employee 
prior to the arrival of emergency personnel.
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MAP posted-by: Beth