Pubdate: Fri, 26 Aug 2005
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2005 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  http://www.arizonarepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Monica Alonzo-Dunsmoor

ANTI-METH PLAN ADVANCES TO REGULATE COLD MEDICINE

PHOENIX - Proposed ordinances that would make it tougher for criminals to
get their hands on ingredients to make methamphetamine are one step closer
to becoming city laws.

"It won't solve the problem, but it makes tremendous steps," said Arizona
Attorney General Terry Goddard. "It sends a powerful message."

But these Phoenix proposals that aim to make it harder for people to cook
meth also would make it more cumbersome for someone with a cold or flu to
walk into a store and buy a remedy.

That's because, if adopted by the City Council, retailers would be required
to log a person's name, address, date of birth and get photo identification
for anyone buying products with pseudoephedrine, usually found in cold, flu
and allergy medications. Retailers would also have to record the quantity of
the purchase. Those logs would have to be turned over to police each month.

Officials said they believe the extra steps are a small price to pay to
address a problem that has wreaked such havoc on the community.

Stores would also have to keep such medications behind the counter or out of
the public's reach. If the retailers didn't comply, police could seize the
products off store shelves. The ordinances being considered allow for one
warning by police to store officials and hearings before the products are
destroyed.

Councilman Dave Siebert, who is leading a task force regarding this issue
with Councilman Tom Simplot, was pleased with the unanimous approval from
community leaders who serve on the task force. . However, he wants to
continue to push for a statewide law that requires logging purchases and
restricts access to all medicines used to manufacture meth.

Oklahoma, which had one of the worst meth problems in the country, has seen
a 70 percent to 80 percent reduction in the number of meth labs in the past
18 months, Goddard said. The success comes after passing a state law that
required retailers log sales of medications used to make meth and restricts
access and purchases of those products.

"This is not the right way to accomplish this goal," Seibert said. "It needs
to be addressed at the Legislature."

State lawmakers passed a law that stiffened penalties for meth offenses but
does not require a log to track sales or that all products that could be
used for meth be locked up or kept behind store counters. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Josh