PANEL OKS COLD PILL BILL

Iowa lawmakers on Thursday took the first steps toward restricting the sale
of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient used to make
methamphetamine.

The House Public Safety Committee voted 18-3 Thursday for House Study Bill
606, a bill that prohibits the sale of more than two packages of medicine
that has pseudoephedrine as the active ingredient. The bill would also put
the cold medicines behind the counter or within 20 feet of a counter, in
sight of an attendant.

"We're No. 2 in reported (meth) labs in the country," said Rep. Clel
Baudler, a Greenfield Republican and retired state trooper. He said Iowa's
most recent count of 1,266 labs was only topped by Missouri, which had
2,760 labs. "This is how important this bill is."

Under the proposed legislation, those buying or selling more than two
packages of medicine containing pseudoephedrine could be found guilty of a
simple misdemeanor, punishable by a $100 fine. A person who steals more
than two packages would be guilty of a serious misdemeanor, punishable by
up to a year in jail and a $1,500 fine.

Rep. Todd Taylor, a Cedar Rapids Democrat, was among three voting against
the bill. "I don't want to make a criminal out of an employee," he said.
"Employees could fall into a trap here."

Critics said the bill wouldn't stop people from going to 20 or even 50
different stores to get enough pseudoephedrine to make meth. The
two-package limit only applies to a single transaction.

"These loopholes will be quite evident," said Rep. Don Shoultz, a Waterloo
Democrat. "I think it does fall short of what really needs to be done."

Jim Henter, president of the Iowa Retail Federation, said retailers can
live with the proposed new restrictions. Several Iowa stores have already
taken steps to restrict sales of pseudoephedrine.

"We're going to put together an awareness program, not only for retail
clerks, but the general public," Henter said. "It might be somewhat of an
inconvenience, but I think there's enough flexibility in there with the
products that we're talking about, they can make room for them behind the
counter, they can make them close by to visual contact or utilize some kind
of anti-theft device."

Hy-Vee Food Store officials announced last month that products with
pseudoephedrine would be moved to the pharmacy, where they will be sold
only to people who sign for them. The chain's 219 stores also limited
purchases of 14 name-brand cold, allergy and sinus remedies to two packages
per visit.

The legislation comes as Iowa's meth problem continues to grow. The drug
drove about 5,300 Iowans into drug treatment in 2002, up 43 percent from
five years earlier. The bill now moves to the House floor for additional
debate.