Pubdate: Wed, 28 Sep 2005
Source: Fayetteville Observer (NC)
Copyright: 2005 Fayetteville Observer
Contact:  http://www.fayettevillenc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/150
Author: John Fuquay, Staff writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

EASLEY SIGNS METH BILL

RALEIGH - Cold and flu sufferers will notice an inconvenience, but
Gov. Mike Easley said Tuesday the benefit of making it harder to run
illegal methamphetamine labs will be worth the hassle.

Easley signed a bill that prohibits unrestricted sales of cold and
sinus relief medicine containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

Effective in January, shoppers may buy only two packages at a time and
no more than three in 30 days. They must show a photo identification,
be at least 18 and document the purchase by signing a form. The drugs
must be kept behind a counter.

"I know it's a small inconvenience to consumers ... however, this
small bit of inconvenience is a tremendous benefit to the public and
law enforcement," Easley said. "States around us are doing this sort
of similar thing, and when that happens, meth labs move into North
Carolina."

Easley said meth labs are dangerous because of the chemicals used to
make the drug. He said they endanger children and public safety
workers and contaminate drinking water.

Meth users buy name-brand and generic drugs containing ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine, crush the tablets and cook them with kerosene,
antifreeze, drain cleaner and other dangerous and volatile chemicals.
Users feel a euphoric rush when the drug is smoked, snorted, injected
or swallowed.

Easley thanked Attorney General Roy Cooper and a few lawmakers,
including Cumberland County Democrat Rick Glazier, for their
participation in getting the bill passed.

Fight Continues

Cooper said proponents had to "shift concern about people with
sniffles to babies with brain damage." He also said North Carolina's
law is the toughest on the East Coast, but more work, perhaps federal
legislation, will be required to fight methamphetamine
trafficking.

He said his staff will continue to monitor ephedrine in liquid and
gelatin forms, which are not addressed in the law because evidence has
shown those forms have not been misused.

Glazier said retailers and pharmacies were involved in drafting the
legislation, which was modeled on laws in other states, particularly
Oklahoma.

"Retailers, clearly, aren't thrilled with all parts of the bill. It
went further and faster than they would have liked, but the goal is
something we agreed on," Glazier said.

Many national or regional retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Kroger and
Winn-Dixie, operate in states with similar restrictions or voluntarily
restrict sales of the listed products.

Fran Preston, president and chief executive officer of the North
Carolina Retail Merchants Association, said the law could lead some
retailers to stop selling the drugs.

"Our position, in short, is to wait and see. I hope they decide
quickly what they want us to do and provide the training and education
that they're required to provide quickly," she said.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, California and
Oklahoma reported high numbers of meth lab seizures in 2003 and
adopted retail restrictions in 2004. California saw its lab seizures
drop last year to 673 from 1,287 in 2003, and Oklahoma saw a decline
to 652 last year from 1,068 the year before. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake