Pubdate: Tue, 28 Jun 2005 Source: Times-Journal, The (Fort Payne, AL) Copyright: 2005 Times-Journal Contact: http://www.times-journal.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1883 Author: Mark Harrison Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) DRUG BAN FRIDAY DeKalb District Attorney Mike O'Dell is working with local merchants to help bring them into compliance with a new law restricting the sale of certain types of cold medicines. That law, designed to make it more difficult to acquire ingredients necessary to manufacture methamphetamine, goes into effect Friday. "I understand that there are members of the business community that have expressed concern over the provisions of the new act and how it might affect them," O'Dell said. "I sympathize with them and my office stands ready to meet with each of the merchants to try to explain how the law will operate." O'Dell said the primary provisions of the law are: All packages of tablets containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient must be placed behind a counter or in a locked display. All packages of tablets containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine and other active ingredients -- or combination products where ephedrine or pseudoephedeine are not the sole active ingredient must be stored the same way, or merchants must place the products under video surveillance and keep the tape for at least 30 days. Customers must be at least 18 years old and provide photo identification to buy a production containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient. In lieu of providing photo identification, the purchaser may provide any two of the following forms of identification: credit card, insurance card, Medicaid or Medicare card, other government issued identification card. The purchaser must also sign a special electronic or paper register. Products whose sole active ingredient is ephedrine or pseudoephedeine in strength of 30 mg or more per tablet cannot be sold loose in bottles, and must be sold only in blister packs. Only two packages that have a combined total of 6 grams of any product containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient can be sold at a time. O'Dell said although the law is not clear as to whether or not a merchant must ask for identification when selling combination products where tablets ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is not the sole active ingredient, "the safest and best practice would likely be to comply with identification requirements in all circumstances where assistance by a store employee is required. "I know this law may seem onerous and burdensome to some, but I want everyone to understand that we are trying everything we can to fight this meth epidemic. If a minor inconvenience will help us put a stop to the illegal manufacturing of the most deadly and devastating drug we -- in law enforcement -- have ever encountered, then I hope the citizens of this county will have patience with us and will join our crusade." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom