ANOTHER TOOL: DATABASE WILL HELP IN METH FIGHT

Oklahoman Editorial Gov. Brad Henry will soon be signing a bill that gives
Oklahoma another tool in what has so far been a successful fight against
the highly addictive drug methamphetamine.

On Monday, the state House gave final approval to House Bill 1507, which
would establish an online computer database linking pharmacies across the
state. Once the network is running, pharmacies will know immediately how
much pseudoephedrine a customer has purchased. If it's more than the
maximum allowed by a law enacted last year, then the sale won't happen.

Pseudoephedrine is found in many over-the-counter cold medicines, but in
tablet form it can be used to make meth. A law enacted last year requires
buyers of the tablet form to show their ID and limits the amount that can
be purchased at one time. Pharmacists log the buyer's name and address, and
the date and amount of purchase.

There were 347 meth lab seizures during the first three months of 2004,
prior to the law taking effect on April 7 -- on pace for a record number of
seizures. But there were only 465 seizures in the final nine months. The
Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation worked 100 seizures in March of last
year; that number dropped to 63 in April and 29 in May.

Other states have taken notice. At least 11 have enacted similar laws this
year, and about 20 others are considering doing the same, according to USA
Today.

But currently in Oklahoma, a person can buy the maximum amount of
pseudoephedrine tablets at one pharmacy, then do the same at another down
the street because purchase records are kept on paper. With the online
database, real-time data will allow pharmacy computers to accept or reject
sales on the spot.

The 2004 law made a real dent in Oklahoma's meth problem. HB 1507 provides
another hammer.