CRACKDOWN ON METHAMPHETAMINE BEGINS WITH NEW ORDINANCE

In a matter of days, the Sullivan City Council will give law enforcement in
the city a little more bite when it comes to cracking down on
methamphetamine producers.

The council is expected to approve a new ordinance Tuesday, February 4, that
will restrict the sale of certain products containing the ingredient
ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine within the city limits of Sullivan.

The new ordinance was first brought to discussion several weeks ago when
city attorney, Matt Schroeder, was presented with the request from Franklin
County legal council. An effort is being made, not only statewide but in
many local communities and counties, to curb the sale of ingredients used to
produce the number one drug of production in Missouri.

The new ordinance would make it city law that any business in the city of
Sullivan selling products that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine must
limit the sale of the product and keep the product in an area where it must
be requested and/or blocked by a physical barrier that separates the product
from access by customers.

The ordinance also requires that businesses that sell products containing
these chemicals must report any thefts or disappearance in product, or
differences in the amount of shipments, to Sullivan police within three
days.

The Independent News spoke with Strauser Drugs, Wal-Mart Pharmacy, and Arro
Mini Mart on Friday, January 24, and asked if products containing ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine are presently removed from the shelf and placed behind a
barrier where customers seeking any products containing these ingredients
must ask a store clerk for the product.

All three businesses indicated that they already have store policies that
meet or exceed the proposed city ordinance.

Tracy Head, owner of Arro Mini Mart, reported that the business has always
had a policy removing these products from store shelves where customers must
ask for the product.

"In fact, we make sure that we receive an identification before customers
can purchase any products containing ephedrine," said Head. "You must be at
least 18 years old to purchase these products anyway. We also limit the sale
by selling a limit of two to any one individual."

The new ordinance was presented for discussion to the city council, Tuesday,
with overwhelming support. City Attorney Schroeder stated that Sullivan
Police Chief George Counts has read the ordinance and believed that it could
help reduce production of meth in the area and agreed that the ordinance
would help his department.

The ordinance will now be presented for council approval and will go into
immediate effect.

While this will be a new ordinance in the city, it is also illegal to sell
these products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine when a business
knowingly supplies it for the production of illegal substances.

A Bourbon businessman was found guilty this past week of selling over 3,000
boxes of ephedrine products to individuals who were knowingly producing
meth. The businessman now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of
$250,000.

The arrest and conviction of this man was made possible through an
investigation by the Division of Drug Enforcement and the Missouri Highway
Patrol. The Independent News is beginning a three-part series on
methamphetamine, beginning this week, where focus is placed on
methamphetamine and the training underway to prepare firefighters for
encounters with meth labs and chemicals.