CONFRONTING THE METH CRISIS AT HOME

Dear Editor,

Everyone knows that drug addition destroys millions of lives and families
across the United States every year, but many may not realize that the
problem is very serious in our own backyard.

Perhaps no illegal drug has done more damage to Alabama's children and
communities in the last few years than methamphetamine.

Unfortunately, methamphetamine or "meth" as it is popularly known, is now
prevalent in rural areas and small towns across the state, and our cities
are not immune to the problem either.

One of the main reasons meth is wreaking so much havoc is because those who
produce it have easy access to the basics ingredient needed to make it.

That ingredient is producers can simply walk into a store that sells cold
medicine and purchase box after box of cold tablets. They then melt the
pills down in their homemade meth lab, which begins the process of
producing the drug.

In an effort to address the problem, the state legislature is considering a
bill that would make it much harder for meth producers to purchase large
quantities of cold tablets. The law would strengthen existing restrictions
on the sales of medications containing pseudoephredrine.

It would require those purchasing pseudoephredrine to present proper
identification, be over 18 years of age and require customers to sign a
register confirming their purchase.

The register would be used to create a database to track large, multiple
purchases of this base ingredient used in the manufacture of meth.

Last year, Oklahoma passed a similar law, and that state now reports that
meth lab seizures are down about 60 percent. According to a recent 60
Minutes Wednesday story, approximately 37 other states and the federal
government are considering tougher laws to regulate pseduoephredrine.

The fact that these products are too easily accessible, and those who make
meth in Alabama currently have no barriers to buying as much cold medicine
as they can fine.

As we all know, cold tablets can be purchased not only at pharmacies, but
at grocery stores, all-purpose stores and convenience stores. Many meth
producers will go to numerous different stores in one day to avoid arousing
suspicion at any one place.

Meth is a viciously addictive drug, and it will drive an addict to
sacrifice everything, including his family and his own well being just to
find his or her next high.

To those hooked on meth, nothing is more important: not their children, not
their spouse, not their elderly parents. Some continue to do meth until
their teeth literally rot.

Any way you look at it, meth present a very ugly picture.

I urge all of you to be on the lookout for any family members or friends
who may be hooked on this terrible drug, and encourage them to get help
before countless more lives are destroyed.