Pubdate: Mon, 30 May 2005
Source: Brewton Standard, The (AL)
Copyright: 2005 Brewton Standard
Contact:  http://www.brewtonstandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1694
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH INGREDIENTS MOVED

Pharmacies in Brewton are already enforcing a law
that Gov. Bob Riley signed a law Tuesday making it more difficult to
obtain the chief ingredient used to manufacture methamphetamine, which
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reports is the biggest drug threat
facing Alabama.

"We have an opportunity with this bill to reduce the number of meth
labs in Alabama and the number of Alabamians addicted to this
devastating drug," Riley said during a news conference in his State
Capitol office. "Alabama is in the midst of a man-made epidemic, one
that is ripping apart our communities and small towns, destroying
lives and is dreadfully easy to spread. The spread of this epidemic
won't be stemmed until the ingredients to make it become hard to get."

The new law requires all non-prescription cold tablets, which have
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient, to be put
behind the counter or in locked display cabinets at pharmacies.
Tablets where ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is one of several active
ingredients will either have to be placed behind the counter, in a
locked case, or kept under video surveillance. Purchases would also be
limited to two packages or six grams at a time.

Gel and liquid forms of pseudoephedrine will still be available
anywhere over-the-counter medicines are sold because they cannot be
used to make meth. Purchasers will have to sign for the purchase and
show photo identification or two other forms of identification.

Pharmacies like Wal-Mart in Brewton and Fred's Discount Pharmacy in
East Brewton have already placed some of the medicine containing the
active ingredients behind the counter.

At Fred's Discount Pharmacy, Ned Sibert, pharmacy manager, said the
store put the medicine behind the counter about six months ago. He
added that some of the medicine could be found behind the cashier's
desk at the front of the store, too.

Sibert also said that their cash registers are programmed not to allow
sales that are not in compliance with the law. While Sibert thinks
it's going to take "quite a bit of manpower" to swiftly enact the law,
he applauds lawmakers for making the effort.

"It's knocked down the theft problem," Sibert said. "When you have
them on the shelf, they'll stick them in the pocket."

The law is believed to not only cut down on theft, but law enforcement
officials and lawmakers believe this restriction on the sale of tablet
pseudoephedrine will reduce the manufacture of meth in the state.

Earlier this year, when the bill was proposed, agent Mike Lambert with
the 21st Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force, said being able to refer to
the list of people purchasing these products will help the task force
fight the problem.

"If nothing else we would use it as an investigative tool," Lambert
said. "I'm not going to say it's going to make it more difficult to
manufacture it (the ingredients)-it may push some folks to go
underground. The ingredients are a must (for methamphetamines)."

While criminals may go underground and develop the ingredient through
another source, or make it themselves Lambert said, it would deter
many from going store-to-store and producing it expeditiously.

Local Man Sentenced

Douglas Alton Crook from Brewton was arrested in December when agents
recovered an operating crystal meth lab that was later determined by
the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences in Mobile for more than
180 grams of crystal meth.

Agents said this week that Crook plead guilty in February to unlawful
manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree and
crystal meth, which is a Class A felony.

Under the provisions of the split sentence act, Crook was sentenced
for 15 years to the Department of Corrections. However, that sentence
was suspended and he must first serve three years in the State
Penitentiary in Atmore before being released, and he will be placed on
five years supervised probation.

Under the split sentence act, a defendant must serve the complete jail
time and cannot be considered for good time or early release. 
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