HOUSE BILL TAKES AIM AT METH

Approach At Limiting Cold Medicine Sales Differs From Senate

RALEIGH - N.C. House members joined Senate colleagues Wednesday in
supporting statewide restrictions on the sale of cold medicine. Both
chambers are trying to cut off a source for the main ingredient in the
illegal drug methamphetamine.

But the House and Senate approach the restrictions differently, revealing
the first major breach among state officials on how to stop meth "cooks."

Attorney General Roy Cooper helped craft the plan the Senate passed in
April. It allows only pharmacies to sell pseudoephedrine pills -- such as
Sudafed -- and only from behind the pharmacy counter.

The House bill includes an exemption sought by retailers that allows
grocery and convenience stores to continue selling the cold medicines. The
exception prompted Cooper to say the House plan "still allows criminals
access to key meth ingredients at thousands of convenience and grocery
stores across North Carolina."

But the House bill includes other restrictions that the Senate bill doesn't.

It also restricts pseudoephedrine in its liquid and gelcap forms. The
Senate bill only puts solid pills behind the counter.

Both plans make buyers sign for the cold medicines and show identification.
And both restrict people from buying more than about 9 grams -- about four
boxes of pills -- each month. Pharmaceutical makers lobbied against many
restrictions in both bills.

Cooper's office acknowledges meth cooks can use liquid and gelcap cold
medicines to make meth, but he didn't push to restrict them in the Senate,
since cooks in North Carolina aren't using the other forms right now.