LAW ENFORCERS LOOK FOR KEYS TO CONTROL METH

Bills Aimed At Keeping Pseudoephedrine From People Who Make Drug

N.C. law enforcement officers aren't the only ones who want to make
consumers sign for their Sudafed.

But state lawmakers are having a tough time deciding how much restriction
is too much.

West Virginia last week became the latest state to require purchasers to
present a picture ID when they get Sudafed and other cold medicines
containing pseudoephedrines. A law that would impose similar restrictions
nationwide is expected to get a hearing in a U.S. Senate committee this week.

North Carolina's attorney general wants a similar law. Other states claim
huge drops in meth busts once they impose tight restrictions.

The state Senate has passed N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper's plan that
would allow only pharmacists to sell the tablet form of the drug.
Pharmacists would keep it behind the counter.

But grocers, convenience stores and other retailers that don't have
pharmacies are against the pharmacist-only restriction. They're presenting
an alternate bill that would require all stores to lock up the drugs and
sell only limited quantities.

The retailers have found several sympathetic lawmakers on an N.C. House
subcommittee that's pushing to make a recommendation to the full committee
and the full House in the next two weeks.

"I don't want anyone to think we're soft on meth makers," said Rep. Earline
Parmon, D-Forsyth. "I'm concerned about access."

Several subcommittee members, including Rep. Karen Ray, R-Iredell and
Lorene Coates, D-Rowan, have raised questions about the burden Cooper's
legislation would place on pharmacists.

Cooper's staff repeatedly argue that many drugs with pseudoephedrines
(those in liquid or capsule form) would be exempt under the proposed law
because N.C. meth cooks don't tend to use them.

They admit meth cooks might adapt if the tablet form of the drug is taken
off shelves.

They might have to come back and ask the state to pull the other forms of
the drug behind drug store counter as well, said Greg McLeod, the attorney
general's legislative liaison.

Right now, the state is trying to use a less restrictive approach, McLeod
said. "We're just trying to solve the problem in North Carolina," he said.