NEW LAW COMBATING METH GOES INTO EFFECT JULY 1

Beginning July 1, it will be more difficult to obtain the ingredients
from which meth is made, and those making the illegal drug also will
face stiffer penalties, according to a new law passed by the 2005 Legislature.

The Combat meth Act is "probably the most comprehensive meth bill
passed by any legislature in the nation and is now being touted as
the model for states across the country," said Rep. Jeff Johnson,
R-43A. Johnson, a Plymouth resident, was chief author of the bill for
the House.

"Every piece of the bill is crucial to the meth battle, but one
element of the bill has gained almost all of the attention and
controversy: The sale restrictions placed on Sudafed and similar
products in stores throughout the state," Johnson said.

From now on, pseudo-ephedrine in tablet form (the only irreplaceable
ingredient in meth) will be sold from behind a pharmacy counter. No
prescription will be needed, but customers will have to sign a log
and provide identification proving they are 18 years of age or older,
a news release from Rep. Jeff Johnson stated.

Quantities also will be limited. Each customer will be limited to
three boxes or fewer of pseudo-ephedrine tablets during one store
visit. A customer also may not purchase more than 30 grams of tablets
in any 30-day period (about eight boxes a month), the news release said.

Pseudo-ephedrine gelcaps, liquid capsules, liquids, powders or
children's products are not restricted, and they still will be sold
in grocery stores and convenience stores, the news release said.

Those products are "almost never" are used to cook meth, Johnson said.

Decongestant products that do not contain pseudo-ephedrine will not
be affected by the new law, he said.

Among provisions in the Combat meth Act are the following:

* Endangering children or vulnerable adults while making meth will be a crime.

* Money will be provided for meth treatment, for education about the
dangers of meth and for state law officers dedicated to meth enforcement.

* A revolving loan fund to help cities and counties with expensive
meth lab clean-up efforts will be established.

The legislation passed both the House and Senate with "overwhelming
bipartisan margins," Johnson said.

"The new Minnesota restrictions are similar to steps taken two years
ago in Oklahoma, which led to a dramatic decrease in meth labs in
that state," Johnson said. "I feel strongly that very significant
action on meth is necessary immediately in Minnesota.

"We have been talking about this issue for more than two years and
meth has become, I believe, one of the most pressing problems in Minnesota.

"It is literally devastating rural communities in Minnesota, has
infiltrated schools in suburban, urban and rural Minnesota and is
costing us nearly $200 million each year in taxpayer money."

Department of Corrections data shows that nearly 80 percent of all
felony offenders in Minnesota are meth users, Johnson said.

"This drug leads to violent (and often random) crime like no drug
we've ever seen before," he said. "Some will argue the bill goes too
far; others not nearly far enough (as evidenced by the "Sudafed ban"
that was added to my bill on the House floor but later removed).

"I believe it is a very significant, but reasoned, response to the
meth problem in our state. As a frequent Sudafed user myself, I am
willing to incur some inconvenience and do my very small part in
addressing what has become one of Minnesota's most urgent problems."