PASSAGE OF METH LAB LEGISLATION PRAISED

North Carolina can stop its growing meth lab problem before it becomes an
epidemic under a bill that passed the N.C. Senate last week, according to
state Attorney General Roy Cooper.

The state Senate approved the Meth Lab Prevention Act. It now goes to the
House.

"These deadly drug labs destroy families and communities," Cooper said.
"We've got to pass this law now to stop our meth lab problem from turning
into a crisis."

Cooper has pushed for the new law as a way to fight the spread of dangerous
meth labs in North Carolina by controlling the sale of key ingredients used
to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

The law would require that tablet forms of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine,
commonly found in over-the-counter cold remedies and needed to make meth,
be sold behind a pharmacy counter.

Customers would also need to show a photo ID to purchase cold tablets
containing pseudoephedrine. Purchases would be limited to no more than 9
grams of pseudoephedrine within a 30-day period without a prescription.
Liquid and gel products would not be restricted because they aren't
commonly used to produce meth in North Carolina.

Since enacting a similar law last year, Oklahoma has seen an 80 percent
drop in meth labs, according to a news release from Cooper's office.

Earlier this month, Lonnie Wright, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of
Narcotics, testified before the Senate Judiciary II Committee about how
well the law has worked to reduce meth labs in his state and how consumers
and pharmacists there have adapted to the new law without difficulty.

"Law enforcement officials in other states tell us that cutting off
criminals' access to the key ingredient they need to make meth is the only
step that has a real impact on this problem," Cooper said. "Other states
are moving ahead. If we don't push ahead with stricter controls here, North
Carolina will find itself behind the curve."

Several states including Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and
Oregon have recently passed bills patterned after the Oklahoma law. Similar
measures are under consideration in many other states, including Western
and Midwestern states where meth lab busts total in the thousands annually.

Wal-Mart and CVS Corp announced last week that they will place
pseudoephedrine products behind pharmacy counters in their stores. Target
Corp. announced that it would take the same step last week.

North Carolina's meth problem developed over the past few years, and Cooper
and numerous law-enforcement agencies have been working to battle the
spread of secret drug labs that produce the dangerous drug.

In 1999, the first year that meth labs were reported in North Carolina, SBI
agents discovered nine labs. That number has skyrocketed, with agents
shutting down 322 labs in 2004 and more than 135 so far this year.

In 2004, 124 children were found living in meth labs in the state. Children
in these homes are threatened by toxic chemicals, fire and explosions, and
are often neglected or abused, Cooper said.

So far in 2005, more than 50 children have been removed from homes where
meth was being made.

Along with tougher laws, Cooper is asking lawmakers for 13 more SBI agents
to bust meth labs.