CONSUMERS JOIN ANTI-METH FORCES WITH NECESSARY LAW

Gov. Jim Doyle should sign a bill into law that will enlist consumers in
the fight against illegal drug production.

A bill that passed the state Assembly and Senate, the "Crackdown on Meth
Act," would restrict over-the-counter drugs that include pseudoephedrine,
like Sudafed, which are used to produce methamphetamines. The matter isn't
so much that Wisconsin has a huge meth problem, but a law like this can
prevent Wisconsin's methamphetamine, or "meth," problems from growing.

Some stores have already restricted purchase of over-the-counter medicines
known to be involved in producing meth, but their voluntary decision puts
them at competitive disadvantage with stores that don't do this. A law that
puts all vendors of a drug on the same competitive level is better for all
businesses.

How big is the meth influence in Winnebago County? Low, for now. Five
locations have been targets of police sting operations from 2001 through
2004. Two of those locations actively produced meth, according to Brad
Dunlap, project director for the Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit, the regional
drug-fighting agency that includes Winnebago County.

A low threat, however, can become a bigger threat. There are signs that
police enforcement in western Wisconsin has made our half of the state more
enticing to meth producers.

Dunlap was at an anti-drug conference earlier this week where a Tulsa,
Okla., speaker reported a "more than 60 percent" decrease in meth labs
after a law like the "Crackdown on Meth Act" is put into effect. The
message is clear: stay ahead of the problem and restrict drugs containing
pseudoephedrine. We don't want such an increase in meth labs that we need
to find out what a 60 percent decrease feels like.

Consumers who use drugs with pseudoephedrine for the right reasons will
have small inconveniences. No more than 7.5 grams in 30 days will be able
to be sold to one person. Possession of more than 9 grams will run afoul
with the law. (Liquids and liquid filled gel caps won't be affected.)

Medicines containing pseudoephedrine won't be sold to people under 18.
Customers will have to show photo identification and sign a log book before
making a purchase. Viewing log books will be restricted to police officers
and pharmacists.

All of this is necessary to give meth lab producers fewer options for
states in which they can operate their labs. A law like this deters meth
production from spreading into our state by making the raw materials to
make meth harder to purchase.

Gov. Doyle should sign the "Crackdown on Meth Act" into law. Wisconsin
doesn't want a reputation for meth production. It can do something before
the situation gets any worse.

The Final Thought: Gov. Jim Doyle should sign the Crackdown on Meth Act
into law.