Pubdate: Wed, 09 Mar 2005
Source: Charleston Gazette (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Charleston Gazette
Contact:  http://www.wvgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/77
Note: Source rarely prints LTEs received from outside its circulation area
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ANTI-METH-LAB PROPOSAL SETS COLD REMEDY PURCHASE LIMITS

The Senate Health and Human Resources Committee moved Tuesday to further 
restrict the purchase of over-the-counter cold medicines that contain 
ingredients needed to make methamphetamine.

Under the proposal, customers could only buy three packages of medicines 
like Sudafed each month without a prescription. The proposal also reduces 
the number of controlled cold medicines from about 250 to less than a dozen 
by targeting medicines that contain pseudoephedrine and other ingredients.

"It takes a tremendous amount of this stuff to make meth," said Sen. Roman 
Prezioso, D-Marion, the committee's chairman. "This bill prevents the 
cooker from acquiring mass quantities."

The yield of methamphetamine is about equal to the amount of 
pseudoephedrine used in the manufacturing process, according to law 
enforcement officials.

Gov. Joe Manchin's original proposal would have allowed customers to 
purchase up to 9 grams of the targeted chemicals. At a dosage of 30 
milligrams per tablet, a person would be able to purchase 15 20-pill 
packages of medicine.

Fewer medicines are being moved behind pharmacy counters because cold 
remedies containing several active ingredients are more difficult to cook 
down into methamphetamine, said State Police Lt. Mike Goff.

"We're happy with this provision because the bill would allow us to add 
medicines to the list if we find they are being made into methamphetamine," 
he said.

The committee's proposal would make possession of more than three packages 
a "presumption of intent to manufacture" the narcotic, meaning defendants 
would have to present evidence that they did not intend to make 
methamphetamine.

Similar to laws regarding gunshot wounds, the bill would require medical 
professionals report to law enforcement officials any treated injuries they 
suspect to be related to manufacturing the drug.
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MAP posted-by: Beth