Pubdate: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 Source: Daily Times, The (TN) Copyright: 2005 Horvitz Newspapers Contact: http://www.thedailytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1455 NEW COLD MEDICINE LEGISLATION REDUCING NUMBER OF METH LABS Often we feel that new laws are merely another layer of bureaucracy without much, if any, real benefit anticipated. Apparently the state's new law requiring that some of the cold medicines used to make the illegal addictive stimulant methamphetamine be placed behind pharmacy counters is working. Meth lab busts in Tennessee were down 39 percent in May when compared with the same month a year earlier. In 2004, law enforcement agencies seized 1,574 labs in Tennessee, the second highest lab seizure rate in the nation. Missouri ranked first. Cooking the drug creates toxic, sickening vapors. The state has taken hundreds of children from parents who exposed them to to-called meth labs. The labs also cause burn injuries and deaths. The state Department of Children's Services reported that more than 700 children were involved in meth-related investigations in the past six months. There is also a major problem resulting from the operation of the labs in that some of the fumes may get into adjoining apartments and housing units that have been used for a meth lab must be thoroughly cleaned to avoid damage to humans. Some law enforcement officials estimate that the problem may have been reduced by as much as 50 percent already. Gov. Phil Bredesen who pushed for the legislation said he wasn't claiming complete victory but obviously gains are being made. The new law signed March 30 stopped retailers other than pharmacists from selling cold and sinus tablets that contain pseudoephedrine and gave businesses 30 days to move products from store shelves to the pharmacy. The law also requires purchasers to sign for the medication. While the new law may be an inconvenience for some customers and some retailers the good it is doing far outweighs the inconvenience. If only all of our legislation were so well conceived and so effective. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh