Legislature '05

SENATE IN FULL SUPPORT OF ANTI-METH LAB BILL

In an effort to fight meth labs, Sudafed and similar cold and sinus
remedies soon could be sold only from behind the counter at stores statewide.

The state Senate voted 53-0 on Tuesday in favor of House Bill 216, a
proposal to take drugs whose sole active ingredient is pseudoephedrine off
the shelf. Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient in the illegal stimulant
methamphetamine.

The bill now goes to Gov. Sonny Perdue to be signed into law.

Supporters of the bill say that making the ingredient harder to get will
help thwart the production of meth, often cooked in explosive, makeshift
labs in kitchens, trailers and sheds.

"We have a problem," said Sen. Jeff Mullis (R- Chickamauga). "And the
problem in rural Georgia is methamphetamine. It's a plague in our
community. And if you don't have it in your community, it's coming soon."

Critics say the bill doesn't go far enough. And it will override more
restrictive laws that some Georgia communities already have adopted.

"I don't think it's nearly strong enough to address what we need," said
Peggy Walker, a Juvenile Court judge in Douglas County and a member of a
local methamphetamine task force.

The bill would require pseudoephedrine products to be sold in blister
packaging, and retailers would be prohibited from selling more than three
packages at once.

Another provision of the bill would require wholesalers to obtain a license
through the state Board of Pharmacy, something the bill's sponsors believe
could help law enforcement track makers of the illegal drug.

The bill also gives retailers incentives to train their employees to
recognize likely meth cooks by the products they buy.

"I'm excited about the passage of this bill because of the impact it will
have in protecting the families and communities of this state," said Rep.
Jay Neal (R- LaFayette), the sponsor of the House bill.

The law would take effect on July 1, except in counties where
pseudoephedrine sales already are regulated. They would have until Jan. 1,
2006, to comply with the statewide standard.

At least two counties --- Douglas and Floyd --- have laws in effect that
are more restrictive than HB 216.

Last October, the Douglas County Commission passed what is said to be
Georgia's first law restricting the sale of medicines containing
pseudoephedrine. Those drugs are sold from behind pharmacy or store
counters. Customers must show a photo ID and sign a log.

Walker said she is "extremely disappointed" in the state's bill "and the
fact that it undercuts our local ordinance."

But Mullis said law enforcement needs a uniform state law. "It's kind of
hard to prosecute or trace the problems with meth when every other city has
some different ordinance," Mullis said.

Some legislators had proposed more restrictive bills, such as a measure
that would require only licensed pharmacists or pharmacy technicians to
sell the products.

Mullis said HB 216 strikes the right balance between meeting the needs of
Georgians who legitimately need a cold remedy and "drug dealers who are
manufacturing this terrible product."

John Bankhead, spokesman for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, called
the bill a step in the right direction.

"I guess if you asked the agents working the meth problem . . . they would
want the strictest bill that you could have," he said. "But from a
realistic standpoint, you have to start somewhere."

Said Mullis: "Our pledge is that if it doesn't work, we'll come back and do
something stronger."