SEEKING SOLUTIONS

Lawmaker Urges Tighter Control on Key Ingredient

State Rep. Clel Baudler wants to require shoppers to show identification to
buy cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used in making
meth. He also wants to limit purchases to a maximum of two packages at a
time, or 6 grams. "I have critics who say it's too restrictive," he said.
"But in my opinion, you've got to keep fighting."

One Town Acts on Its Own

Hazleton, an eastern Iowa town of 950 residents, requires people to show
identification and sign a log if they want to buy items containing
pseudoephedrine, red phosphorus or other chemicals used to make meth.
Several towns have now adopted the idea.

Anhydrous Tank Locks Sought

At least 26 of Iowa's 99 counties have programs to help pay for locks to
put on tanks containing anhydrous ammonia, a farm fertilizer used in making
meth. Meth "cooks" routinely steal anhydrous ammonia, but locks cost more
than farmers lose in thefts, and co-ops have many tanks to lock. U.S. Sen.
Tom Harkin helped win a $200,000 grant last year to buy locks, and Black
Hawk County sought donations to lock up 300 tanks. Also, Iowa State
University is testing an additive that would force meth cooks to use far
more anhydrous ammonia to get the same amount of meth.

Which Strategies Are Useful?

Stephan Arndt of the Iowa Drug Policy Advisory Council says programs across
Iowa must be reviewed systematically to find out what works and what
doesn't. "You might have somebody at a school in Centerville, say, who
attends a conference and is really energized and offers to do that program."