Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jan 2005
Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, The  (IA)
Copyright: 2005 The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Contact:  http://www.wcfcourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3510
Author: Mike Lillis, Courier/Medill News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

PROPOSAL WOULD RESTRICT ACCESS TO PSEUDOEPHEDRINE

WASHINGTON --- Black Hawk County methamphetamine producers have been among 
the state's most prolific in recent years, but they may have significant 
new foes in the nation's capital.

Some of the top U.S. lawmakers, including Iowa Sens. Tom Harkin and Charles 
Grassley, proposed bipartisan legislation Wednesday designed to limit 
consumer access to drugs containing pseudoephedrine, one of the primary 
ingredients in meth.

Because pseudoephedrine can be extracted from such easily available drugs 
as Sudafed, a popular decongestant, the lawmakers contend the products 
should be moved behind pharmacy counters where sales can be better monitored.

The proposal also gives new authority to local law enforcers.

"Meth continues to plague Iowa, destroying lives, families and entire 
communities," Harkin said. "This critical legislation will help provide 
Iowa's law enforcement officers with the tools they need to fight meth 
across the state and keep Iowans drug free."

The meth problem in Iowa has skyrocketed. In 2004, the state ranked second 
only behind Missouri in meth labs per capita, with Black Hawk ranking third 
among Iowa counties in the number of meth labs seized by police.

Only Linn and Polk Counties ranked higher.

"I would have never dreamed a year ago that Black Hawk and Linn Counties 
would lead the way in meth labs," said Marvin Van Haaften, director of the 
Iowa governor's office of drug control policy. "This thing is really 
gaining momentum."

Local law enforcement officials conceded they are having trouble battling 
the problem.

"It's exploded around here," said Waterloo Police Chief Tom Jennings. "Any 
help we can get to curb that trend would be greatly significant."

Jennings, who also heads the area's Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, 
said much of the problem is the ease with which meth "cooks" can obtain 
their ingredients. Moving pseudoephedrine drugs behind the counter would 
make it tougher, he said.

The major provisions of Wednesday's proposal include:

- --- $20 million to train state law enforcement agents and prosecutors.

- --- $5 million to help children affected by meth production.

- --- The creation of a meth research center to assist states with treatment 
options and educational tools.

Most strikingly, however, the law would set new limits on certain drugs, 
allowing an individual to purchase only nine grams of pseudoephedrine 
products over the course of a month, or six grams at any one time.

Nine grams, which translates into about 300 pills, is plenty for those 
using the medicines for legitimate purposes, said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 
D-Calif., one of the chief architects of the bill.

"Who needs to buy 300 pills in a month?" Feinstein asked.

Federal lawmakers say they are using legislation enacted in Oklahoma last 
year as a model. Since that law was enacted, meth lab seizures there have 
declined by about 80 percent.

Van Haaften said opponents of the legislation have been primarily 
pharmaceutical companies who say it imposes unfair restrictions on 
legitimate medicines.

But some local pharmacists rejected that claim.

"It will be some imposition to us," said Waterloo pharmacist Bob Greenwood 
of Greenwood Drug Co. "But as I look at it as a health provider, the meth 
problem is rampant, and anything we can do to protect the public health, we 
need to do it."

Greenwood said federal intervention is the surest way of stopping the 
problem --- a view echoed on Capitol Hill Wednesday.

"I think it calls for the rationale of a national piece of legislation," 
Grassley said. "This is a national problem and we need to plug all the holes."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager