Pubdate: Fri, 12 Oct 2007 Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Copyright: 2007 The Arizona Republic Contact: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) GLOBAL WAR ON METH Meth isn't just about illegal activities and ruined lives. This highly addictive and destructive drug is also about the perfectly legal substance that is used to produce it. Limiting the availability of a precursor chemical called pseudoephedrine is a job of international proportions. Gov. Janet Napolitano made that point at a recent meeting of governors from the border states in the United States and Mexico. She won unanimous support for a resolution calling for more international cooperation in tracking bulk shipments of pseudoephedrine. Arizona and other states have already taken steps to make it harder for small-time meth operations to obtain cold remedies that contain pseudoephedrine. Anybody who buys decongestants knows that some medications are kept behind the counter and require proof of identity to obtain. Law-abiding citizens suffer a little inconvenience for the sake of reducing the supply of a deadly drug. When the local restrictions went into effect, critics predicted that criminal syndicates would make up for any decreased meth production. Indeed, about 80 percent of the meth consumed in the United States is made by Mexican-controlled cartels that operate on both sides of the border, according to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Nevertheless, limiting access to pseudoephedrine at the local level had the benefit of keeping neighborhoods safer by reducing the number of meth labs, which produce both criminal activity and toxic-chemical waste. It was one part of a larger strategy. Mexico also contributed to the effort by limiting the amount of bulk pseudoephedrine that can be legally imported. It was done in response to a survey that found Mexico was importing 350 tons of pseudoephedrine even though the nation only needed about 50 tons to meet the legitimate need for decongestants, says Marco Lopez, Napolitano's senior adviser on international issues. In addition to limiting the amount of pseudoephedrine that could be imported, Mexico also restricted importation to pharmaceutical companies in 2004. Of course, that didn't stop illegal importation. New trafficking patterns emerged. Napolitano says bulk pseudoephedrine is being shipped to the United States and smuggled into Mexico to make methamphetamine that is then smuggled back to the United States. The U.S. has laws that allow limits on the importation of this precursor drug, but Napolitano thinks more can be done to limit the legal and illegal importation. She got governors on both sides of the border to agree at last month's binational meeting. The resolution they signed calls on other countries to recognize their role. China, Germany and India are major exporters of pseudoephedrine. They need to look at the amount of this substance they are selling and evaluate whether it is likely that their product is being used to produce illicit drugs. This summer, an illegal shipment of over 19 tons of pseudoephedrine was seized at a Mexican port before it could reach the meth cartel waiting for it. The chemical had been produced in a Hong Kong-based pharmaceutical company. China should look carefully at the amount of this chemical being exported. The effort to keep meth off the streets includes little things, like the hassle you face to buy decongestants. It also means nations around the globe have to take responsibility for their role. Combating meth is about international cooperation. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek