SLOWING A 'SCOURGE'

Carson seeks to copy state's meth law Here's hoping U.S. Rep. Brad Carson
succeeds in his effort to get the federal government to copy a new Oklahoma
law that's aimed at making life a little more difficult for methamphetamine
producers.

The law, in effect since April 7, bans store sales of the tablet form of
pseudoephedrine, which besides being a decongestant is a primary ingredient
used to make meth. The law requires that pseudoephedrine tablets be sold
only at licensed pharmacies to people who provide a photo ID and sign for
the drug.

In addition, customers can't buy more than 9 grams of the tablets (about 12
boxes) during a 30-day period. The law doesn't apply to gel caps and liquid
forms of pseudoephedrine.

The push for Oklahoma's law stemmed from the clear need to do something -
anything - to curb the manufacture of the highly addictive drug. The number
of meth lab seizures has skyrocketed in the past decade, to more than 1,200
in 2003, and law officers guess there were as many as 60,000 labs operating
last year.

On the national level, the Drug Enforcement Administration has seized more
than 38,500 meth labs in 48 states since 1991. A report released in March
by the Council of State Governments showed 31 percent of all local and
state law enforcement agencies considered meth their No. 1 drug threat.

The state narcotics bureau has seen a dip in the number of reported meth
labs since Oklahoma's law took effect. Agency Director Lonnie Wright says a
national law would keep meth makers from going to other states to get what
they need.

In announcing plans to introduce a bill making tablet forms of
pseudoephedrine and ephedrine controlled substances available only from
pharmacists, Carson, D-Claremore, called meth "a scourge that is ravaging
families in our state and country and shattering lives." He's right about
that and is right to try to do something to curb it.