Pubdate: Fri, 27 Jun 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

NEW ANTI-METH LAW EXPLAINED TO RETAILERS

Questions about a new Cookeville ordinance restricting the sale of 
medicines used in manufacturing illegal 'meth' were addressed Thursday by 
medical personnel as well as Cookeville police officers. About 15 retailers 
showed up to learn what they need to do when the new ordinance goes into 
effect next Thursday, July 3, and to ask questions about how the ordinance 
will affect them and their customers.

Dr. Sullivan Smith, director of the Emergency Room at Cookeville Regional 
Medical Center, explained that the drugs controlled by the ordinance are 
drugs that have only ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the active 
ingredients. Those two items are required ingredients in meth production.

Smith said combination products such as Advil, Afrin or Motrin, cold and 
cough medicines and medicines for pediatrics, sales by a pharmacist to an 
established customer or prescriptive sales would not be included in the 
ordinance regulations.

Products containing the regulated drugs as the sole active ingredient must 
be kept either behind the counter, locked behind glass or within six feet 
of the cash register.

There's also a limit to how much customers can buy -- 100 tablets or three 
grams, whichever comes first.

Customers who buy the regulated products would be required to sign a 
register with their name, address, form of identification and number, the 
product and amount, date and name of the employee who made the sale.

That information should be maintained by the store personnel and kept for 
three years in the event it should be required by law enforcement personnel.

"The ordinance is tailored after similar legislation in other states but 
it's better," Dr. Smith said.

He also discussed the importance of implementing the new ordinance because 
of the growing problem of meth use.

"Four to six times a day we're seeing someone in the ER who has a meth 
problem," he said. "Eighty-five percent of drug treatment programs in the 
Upper Cumberland are meth problems."

"Meth is a huge part of violent crime in this community," he said.

Retailers may be fined up to $50 for every day in violation of the new 
ordinance.

Smith said he realizes that the ordinance will be more work for store 
clerks but emphasized that by following the ordinance, store personnel will 
have to deal with 'meth cooks' only rarely because they will likely go 
somewhere else if they have to sign a log.

On Thursday, some retailers were concerned about letting all the retailers 
know before the effective date while others wanted to know more about 
training their employees.

Smith and Cookeville law enforcement officers offered to help retailers 
through classes and by coming up with some certification for employees to 
sign once they understand their role in the new ordinance.

"The key to this -- if we show it works here and it goes other places, it 
will force the state to come back and pass something more strict than a $50 
fine," said Cookeville City Councilman Ricky Shelton who sponsored the 
ordinance.

"We're trying to attack a problem where this is the only single item they 
have to have," he said. "We don't want to limit legitimate sales."

And Cookeville police officials say they understand it will take some time 
for retailers to comply with the new ordinance, but will begin periodically 
checking with different stores to insure compliance.

One retailer had a question about customers who buy a couple of pills a day 
containing the regulated ingredients and was concerned about slowing 
customers down in their purchases and inconveniencing other customers.

And officials discussed having a separate page of the log per customer for 
those who frequent the same stores daily to buy drugs such as "yellow 
jackets" to keep them awake at work.

'Meth Watch'

Another program discussed by officials Thursday is "Meth Watch."

The program focuses on teamwork between retailers and law enforcement by 
giving stores the opportunity to report suspicious sales to the anonymous 
Crimestoppers phone number.

The program also provides signs on store front windows showing which stores 
participate in the program in order to deter meth makers from shopping at 
those locations.

"We're encouraging you to display these in your stores," said Cookeville 
Police Officer Myke Green. "We'll print up the stickers and supply you with 
brochures and give you a suspicious transaction sheet. It's an extra step 
in preventing meth production."

Store clerks may report suspicious sales to Crimestoppers at (931) 544-7867 
or (931) 520-7867.

"The meth watch will be the thing that will spread like wildfire," Green 
said. "The goal of it (ordinance) is not to fine the stores. We're hoping 
to set a precedent."

* Those who have questions about the new ordinance or the Meth Watch 
program may call Officer Myke Green at (931) 526-2125.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens