Pubdate: Tue, 22 Nov 2005
Source: Mohave Valley Daily News (AZ)
Copyright: Mohave Valley News 2005
Contact:  http://www.mohavedailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3625
Author: Jim Seckler
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

LOCAL COUNTY SUPPORTS RESTRICTIONS ON SALE OF PSEUDOEPHEDRINE

KINGMAN - Mohave County supervisors agreed to send a letter of 
support Monday to the state legislature to restrict the sale of 
over-the-counter drugs that can be made into methamphetamine.

A Bullhead City Council ordinance passed last week restricts the over 
the counter sale of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine within the city 
limits. Phoenix and Tucson have already passed similar laws to Bullhead City's.

Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are main ingredients used to make 
methamphetamine, the drug that is responsible for many crimes. A city 
has the authority in its ordinances to restrict the drugs. However, 
counties have to abide by laws enacted by the state legislature.

Without a statewide policy, meth producers can purchase 
pseudoephedrine and other drugs from pharmacies outside the city 
limits. A state law would make meth more difficult to produce.

Oklahoma passed a similar law, which reduced the number of meth labs 
in that state by 70 percent.

Common cold and allergy medications are some of the products that 
contain pseudoephedrine and ephedrine.

Meth labs not only manufacture meth but can be highly flammable and 
extremely toxic. Fires, explosions and environmental contamination 
can occur from meth labs.

Meth labs are found in apartments, houses, motel rooms in residential 
or commercial areas and can threaten children, firefighters and 
police officers as well as innocent residents.

Under the new Bullhead City law, pseudoephedrine products would be 
kept behind a pharmacy's counter and not accessible to the public 
without the assistance of a pharmacist.

Any products that are displayed and accessible to the public would be 
confiscated by the Bullhead City Police Department.

The pharmacists must also keep a log either by hand or electronically 
of all purchases including the name, address and date of birth of the 
buyer and the date of the purchase.

A copy of the log would be submitted to the Bullhead City Police 
Department each month.

Pseudoephedrine products would not be sold to juveniles.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman