Pubdate: Sat, 19 Nov 2005
Source: Daily Nonpareil, The (IA)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Nonpareil
Contact:  http://www.Nonpareilonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3234
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

TOUGH TALK IN A TOUGH FIGHT

Our Position: Words Alone Won't Win Battle Against Meth

Three Midwestern states, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin, have joined 
forces in what has truly become a war to put an end to the 
near-epidemic spread of the manufacture and use of methamphetamine. 
The alliance is aimed at cracking down - and cracking down hard - on 
the illegal transport across state lines of the drug and the 
ingredients used to manufacture it.

Officials from the three states gathered in Dubuque on Wednesday to 
announce their plans and to warn those who would manufacture the drug 
that obtaining meth ingredients in neighboring states will result in 
a reservation for violators to spend some time - hopefully, a long 
time - in a federal prison.

Iowa is embarking on a statewide project to provide locks for 
anhydrous ammonia tanks, which meth cooks have been stealing from to 
make their product. Officials fear the project will force meth cooks 
in Iowa to travel to other Midwestern states to get their ingredients.

In addition, Iowa passed a law in May making meth's key ingredient, 
pseudoephedrine, a controlled substance. Iowa officials said meth 
labs have decreased by 80 percent since the law was enacted. A 
similar measure passed in Wisconsin, where officials are also 
reporting fewer meth labs.

Illinois has not passed such a law, but officials from that state 
said tougher standards could be implemented in January. Similar to 
Iowa, the measure would force many medicines containing this 
ingredient behind pharmacy counters and require purchasers to show 
identification and sign a log.

"Iowa now has one of the strongest pseudoephedrine laws in the 
nation," said Charles Lawson, a U.S. attorney for northern Iowa. 
"However, we cannot let our guard down. We came together today to 
send a strong warning. ... We will all aggressively enforce and 
prosecute those involved in the manufacture of meth."

"If somebody thinks they can avoid Iowa's law by going to another 
state to get their ingredients, they are sorely mistaken," said Ken 
Carter, the director for Iowa's Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

That's tough talk indeed. Our hope is that their actions will speak 
louder than their words.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman