VIA ID PLAN, HAZLETON BECOMES A NO-HELP ZONE FOR METH MAKERS

Hazleton, Ia. - Shopping for Aleve Cold and Sinus?

Be prepared to show photo identification.

Hazleton, an eastern Iowa town of 950, has adopted an aggressive ordinance
requiring stores to monitor the sales of cold medicine, starting fluid and
other products used to make methamphetamine.

Some chuckled at the idea. How could the farming community hope to make a
dent in the state's meth problem by regulating sales at its single
convenience store?

Then, however, came some surprising reactions: Leaders from other Iowa
towns started calling to obtain copies of the ordinance. The Governor's
Office of Drug Control Policy began passing it around. Several towns
adopted a version.

"You could almost argue Hazleton is ahead of the surrounding state," said
Marvin Van Haaften, Office of Drug Control Policy director. "I find some
humor in it, but I also respect them for doing it."

The Hazleton ordinance works like this: If someone wants to buy items
containing pseudoephedrine, red phosphorus or other chemicals used to make
meth, he must show identification and sign a log. The sheriff's department
checks the list of names from time to time.

"We felt this was at least something we could start doing, even though it
had not been done in any other areas (of Iowa) that we are aware of,"
Hazleton City Councilwoman Virginia Steil said.

The Pronto Market is ground zero for enforcement of the ordinance in
Hazleton. It is the only business in town that sells most of the relevant
products. Several dozen names have ended up on the store's log.

"A couple people get upset and yell, saying it's an invasion of their
privacy," said Pronto clerk Tara Makepeace, filling a warming oven with
slices of pepperoni pizza.

Some walk out. Those who have heard of the ordinance and are concerned
about Iowa's meth problem are more understanding.

The way Hazleton Mayor Wayne Holliday sees it, a person shouldn't care
unless he has something to hide. "Someone who is legitimate normally
wouldn't have a problem with it," he said.

Holliday knows the ordinance is, for the most part, symbolic. No one
expects it to stop methamphetamine use, because meth "cooks" can do their
shopping in the next town. Still, he wonders what could be accomplished if
more communities followed Hazleton's example.

Marquette, a Mississippi River town, adopted a version of Hazleton's
ordinance in July. Neighboring McGregor followed. The Keokuk County sheriff
will try to persuade his county board to adopt it.

"There have been discussions with a number of other communities," said
Buchanan County Sheriff's Deputy Jeff Coleman, who originally suggested the
ordinance to Hazleton's City Council. "People are kind of sitting right
now, waiting to see what kind of response Hazleton gets."

The state attorney general's office looked over the ordinance for Van
Haaften and didn't see any glaring problems. It's unclear whether it would
hold up in court.

Bret Lau, manager of the Pronto in Hazleton, said the ordinance wouldn't be
practical in larger cities. The lists of names would be too long for law
enforcement to sort through, he said.

Large retail stores, many of which already have policies aimed at
discouraging use of their products in making meth, probably would resist a
Hazleton-type practice if it upset customers, Lau said. Plus, the store is
the one fined if there is a violation.

"If you get into a bigger town, most people won't put up with it - unless
it's very well-publicized," Lau said.

A state legislator plans to propose restrictions on
pseudoephedrine-containing medication. Rep. Clel Baudler's proposal would,
like the Hazleton ordinance, require shoppers to show identification and
sign a log. It would also limit a person to two packets of pseudoephedrine
tablets at a time.

His proposal is modeled after a new Missouri law limiting shoppers to a
maximum of two packages at a time or 6 grams of medicine with
pseudoephedrine as the sole active ingredient. It also restricts where or
how the allergy and cold medicine may be displayed.

"I have critics who say it's too restrictive, that it won't help," said
Baudler, a Republican from Greenfield. "They say, "If we hit this so hard,
they'll just go to using ecstasy." But in my opinion, you've got to keep
fighting."