|
Newsbrief:
Meth
I
--
New
Senate
Methamphetamine
Bill
Would
Limit
Cold
Pill
Sales
Nationwide
1/28/05
https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/372/meth1.shtml
American cold sufferers,
beware! Last week, DRCNet
reported on ongoing efforts in the states to restrict the sales of
popular over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine,
chemicals used by home meth lab cooks as part of popular speed-cooking
recipes. Now, ten US senators, led by Iowa Democrat Tom Harkin, are
leading an effort to make such restrictions nationwide under federal law.
"This critical legislation
will help provide law enforcement officers with the tools they need to
fight meth across the state and keep Iowans drug-free," Sen. Harkin said
Monday in a prepared statement.
The Combat Meth Act would
budget an additional $30 million to combat the popular stimulant, but its
most controversial provision is one that would make pseudoephedrine a controlled
substances. While the bill had not been officially filed as of Thursday,
according to a press release from Sen. Harkin, it will:
Restrict the sale
of necessary ingredient to make meth -- Amends the Controlled Substances
Act to appropriately limit and record the sale of medicines containing
pseudoephedrine by placing them behind the pharmacy counter. If a
community meets a hardship provision established by the Drug Enforcement
Agency, a convenience store will be allowed to sell ephedrine.
Increase awareness and involvement
of businesses that legally sell pseudoephedrine -- Provides $5 million
for states and businesses that legally sell ingredients used to cook meth
with resources to monitor purchases of methamphetamine precursors (pseudoephedrine)
and provides training expenses and technical assistance to law enforcement
personnel and employees of businesses which lawfully sell substances which
may be used to make meth.
Provide critical resources
to local law enforcement and prosecutors -- Provides an additional $15
million under the COPS program to train state and local law enforcement
to investigate and lock-up methamphetamine offenders and expands the methamphetamine
'hot spots program to include personnel and equipment for enforcement,
prosecution and environmental clean-up.
Expand the ability of local
prosecutors to bring methamphetamine distributors to justice -- Provides
$5 million to hire additional federal prosecutors and train local prosecutors
in state and federal meth laws and cross-designates them as Special Assistant
US Attorneys, allowing them to bring legal action against cooks and traffickers
in federal courts under tougher guidelines.
Provide services for children
affected by the spread of meth -- Provides $5 million in grant funding
for Drug Endangered Children rapid response teams to promote collaboration
among federal, state, and local agencies to assist and educate children
that have been affected by the production of methamphetamine.
Enhance treatment options
-- Authorizes the creation of a Methamphetamine Research, Training and
Technical Assistance Center which will research effective treatments for
meth abuse and disseminate information and technical assistance to states
and private entities on how to improve current treatment methods."
In announcing the bill, Harkin
could not resist the temptation to engage in some drug hysteria hyperbole,
pronouncing meth as "the most deadly, fiercely addictive and rapidly spreading
drug the United States has known," leading one to ask: Whatever happened
to crack and Oxycontin?
Other key sponsors of the
bill include Sens. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Jim Talent (R-MO), and Dianne
Feinstein (D-CA).
-- END --
|
Issue #372
-- 1/28/05
Drug
War
Chronicle
Needs
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Support
in
2005
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I
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