METH FIGHTERS TOUGHEN STANCE

NASHVILLE - A state task force recommended creating new penalties for
methamphetamine crimes and strengthening those already on the books to help
combat Tennessee's growing problem with the illegal stimulant.

The Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse met Friday to vote on
about three dozen preliminary recommendations before presenting them to
Gov. Phil Bredesen later in the day.

"I'm very pleased with it. There's a lot of meat in this report," Bredesen
said. "We're not going to solve the problem overnight, but identifying
smart strategies is a start."

Methamphetamine, an addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous
system, is produced in clandestine laboratories across the state with
relatively cheap over-the-counter ingredients.

The task force was charged with finding the best way to address its growth
in Tennessee, which the federal Drug Enforcement Administration estimates
is home to three-quarters of the meth labs in the Southeast.

The panel consists of 20 representatives from a range of fields, including
law enforcement, health care, education and human services, as well as 12
ex-officio members who provide general advice to the group.

"There are no magic bullets out there," said Ken Givens, the task force
chairman and state agriculture commissioner. "But we do have the framework
of what we think it will take to make a difference, and then we can make
adjustments where we need to."

The recommendations fell under seven categories:

Set tougher criminal penalties.

Address contamination caused by clandestine meth labs.

Help children harmed by meth manufacturing and abuse.

Improve coordination between federal, state and local officials.

Increase funding for meth treatment with an eye toward long-term initiatives.

Educate people about the dangers of meth abuse.

Limit the availability of materials used to illegally make meth. In the
case of stricter law enforcement, the task force said the state should
establish a clear definition of "methamphetamine manufacturing." Doing so,
it said, would close a loophole providing for lighter penalties in the
cases in which meth cooks claim they are manufacturing the drug only for
personal use.

The restrictions on materials used to manufacture meth prompted the most
debate Friday.

Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant commonly found in over-the-counter cold and
sinus remedies, is considered the main ingredient used to make meth. At
least 11 states nationwide have placed restrictions on the sale of products
containing pseudoephedrine.

The task force wants Tennessee to follow suit by requiring pharmacies to
put behind the counter any drug that could be used to produce meth.

Some products with pseudoephedrine, such as liquid or gel caps, would be
exempted because they can't easily be used to produce meth.

But many pharmacists don't like the idea of keeping pseudoephedrine
products behind their counters because they say it puts them at risk of
being robbed.

"They want to make pharmacists front-line law enforcement officers, for
which we're not trained," said Russell Palk, spokesman for the Tennessee
Retail Association.

Bredesen is expected to push for legislation to enact the recommendations
when the General Assembly reconvenes next year.