News (Media Awareness Project) - US LA: Editorial: Lawmakers Move To Slow Growth Of Illegal |
| Title: | US LA: Editorial: Lawmakers Move To Slow Growth Of Illegal |
| Published On: | 2005-03-27 |
| Source: | Advertiser, The (Lafayette, LA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-20 14:51:47 |
LAWMAKERS MOVE TO SLOW GROWTH OF ILLEGAL METH LABS
Members of the Louisiana Legislature are joining lawmakers from around the
country in an effort to slow the proliferation of methamphetamine labs. The
focus is on making it illegal to own some presently legal over-the-counter
medications in large quantities. The illegal labs use common cold remedies
such as Sudafed that contain the ingredient ephedrine to manufacture the
dangerous, addictive drug.
Sen. James David Cain, R-Dry Creek, has filed a bill that, among other
things, would prohibit retail stores and pharmacies from selling or
displaying more than three packages, or 9 grams, of over-the-counter
medicines containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine, the
main components in sinus medication and some cold medicines.
Such legislation is needed. Long-term use of methamphetamines can result in
addiction, stroke, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, auditory
hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions. It can also cause damage
to dopamine neurons that persists long after the drug has been discontinued.
Cain's bill is tough. It allows the sale of the over-the-counter drugs if
prescribed by a doctor, but requires that people buying medications with
ephedrine compounds in them produce photo identification with proof of age.
A retailer who sells more than three packages of the substances to the same
person without a prescription could be fined up to $500 for a first offense
and up to $1,000 for subsequent violations.
Along with control of the medications that are used by meth labs, a
campaign is needed to make users and potential users of methamphetamines
aware of the dangers. People thinking about trying it need to know that
besides cold medicine, there are ingredients such as drain cleaners. If
they can penetrate the trash that clogs a drain, it is frightening to think
what they can do to the stomach.
States such as Georgia that have passed laws similar to Cain's report
positive results. We urge the legislature to act favorably on the bill in
the next session.
Members of the Louisiana Legislature are joining lawmakers from around the
country in an effort to slow the proliferation of methamphetamine labs. The
focus is on making it illegal to own some presently legal over-the-counter
medications in large quantities. The illegal labs use common cold remedies
such as Sudafed that contain the ingredient ephedrine to manufacture the
dangerous, addictive drug.
Sen. James David Cain, R-Dry Creek, has filed a bill that, among other
things, would prohibit retail stores and pharmacies from selling or
displaying more than three packages, or 9 grams, of over-the-counter
medicines containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine, the
main components in sinus medication and some cold medicines.
Such legislation is needed. Long-term use of methamphetamines can result in
addiction, stroke, violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, auditory
hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions. It can also cause damage
to dopamine neurons that persists long after the drug has been discontinued.
Cain's bill is tough. It allows the sale of the over-the-counter drugs if
prescribed by a doctor, but requires that people buying medications with
ephedrine compounds in them produce photo identification with proof of age.
A retailer who sells more than three packages of the substances to the same
person without a prescription could be fined up to $500 for a first offense
and up to $1,000 for subsequent violations.
Along with control of the medications that are used by meth labs, a
campaign is needed to make users and potential users of methamphetamines
aware of the dangers. People thinking about trying it need to know that
besides cold medicine, there are ingredients such as drain cleaners. If
they can penetrate the trash that clogs a drain, it is frightening to think
what they can do to the stomach.
States such as Georgia that have passed laws similar to Cain's report
positive results. We urge the legislature to act favorably on the bill in
the next session.
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