Pubdate: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC) Copyright: 2005 Asheville Citizen-Times Contact: http://www.citizen-times.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863 Author: Ellyn Ferguson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) HOUSE PUSHES AHEAD WITH ANTI-METH BILL N.C. Attorney General Says Federal Law Would Stifle Manufacturing Of Drug WASHINGTON -- North Carolina's top law enforcement official believes Congress could slow the spread of methamphetamine on the East Coast with a federal law limiting sales of cold medications that contain a key ingredient for making the drug. "I think ... Congress could provide a great preventive measure for the East Coast," N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper said. Cooper is following anti-meth legislation as it makes its way through Congress. North Carolina has seen the number of meth lab seizures rise from nine in 1999 to 280 by late October of this year. Most of those labs were in Western North Carolina, reflecting the eastward push of the meth problem. Lawmakers hope to pass legislation this year or early 2006 aimed at curbing the importation of pseudoephedrine, meth's main ingredient, and limit the amount of pseudoephedrine-based cold medicines or decongestants a person can buy. Restricting the sale of cold medicines such as Sudafed is an idea borrowed from Oklahoma and several other states. North Carolina has passed a similar law that will take effect Jan. 15. Cooper said he believes a comprehensive approach involves limits on sales, tougher penalties on meth lab operators and incentives for drug treatment. The Senate and House have tackled importation and limits on sales differently, but it appears at this point that the House may take the lead with its bill. The House measure would require cold medicine buyers to show identification and limit their purchases at any one time to 3.6 grams, or 110 tablets. The measure also would allow judges to impose stiffer penalties for possession of ingredients used to make meth. And it would authorize $99 million a year for meth lab cleanup and $40 million over two years for services for children affected by meth. Cooper said he would like to see Congress also provide more money for everyday law enforcement needs. He argued that state and local police departments can use basic crime-fighting equipment for both drug and nondrug investigations. In particular, he said, North Carolina could do with some federal money "because our outdated fingerprint system is becoming obsolete and will have to be replaced." The bipartisan 130-member Meth Caucus in the House is also calling for increased federal spending for programs that provide money to hire more police officers and fund drug task forces. The caucus fired off a letter Thursday to the Office of National Drug Control Policy outlining what lawmakers believe should be the Bush administration's priorities in dealing with the drug. "It is time for the administration, working with state and local officials, to develop a comprehensive plan to stop the spread of meth production and use," said co-chair Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif. Calvert's Democratic counterpart, Rep. Rick Larsen of Washington state, also chided the administration. "We will not let up until this administration recognizes that there is a meth epidemic in this country and executes a federal response equal to the magnitude of this growing problem," Larsen said. Caucus members and the administration have been jousting for much of this year over the meth drug problem. The members say the administration has been slow to make anti-meth efforts a priority because it sees the drug problem as largely a regional and rural issue. While Cooper would welcome help from the federal government, he said the states would probably move more quickly on the problem. "We're going to have to try to stay a step ahead. Congress moves slowly. You can see that in the case of the Midwest taking action (in limiting pseudoephedrine-based drugs). Congress is still trying to pass a law," Cooper said. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek