DEALING WITH METH

Beefing Up Precursor Restrictions Would Help Stop Meth, Authorities Say

People who manufacture methamphetamine in illegal labs use a number of
readily available materials to produce the drug.

Many of the items are present in almost every household, but area law
enforcement officials are hoping one of those drug precursors will be
made a little less accessible to those who use it to make
methamphetamine.

"The problem is just about all the legitimate across-the-counter
products have pseudoephedrine in them," said Sgt. Kevin Morris, who
heads the Enid Police Department's five-man narcotics unit.

Pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant, is a key ingredient in the
manufacture of methamphetamine.

It is available in a number of different cold medications, but people
who "cook" methamphetamine in clandestine labs must secure bulk
quantities of pseudoephedrine.

Many local law enforcement officials would like to see pseudoephedrine
made into a prescription drug, rather than an over-the-counter
medication, to help control the proliferation of methamphetamine labs.

District 26 Drug Task Force Deputy Kim Alexander estimates such a
change could result in a 70 percent or more drop in the number of
methamphetamine labs in the area.

Another possible solution would be a limit on the amount of
pseudoephedrine a person can buy.

Sgt. Dean Grassino said methamphetamine labs are prevalent in the Enid
area because anhydrous ammonia - another precursor substance - is
readily available, but pseudoephedrine is the one "must-have" ingredient.

Grassino said there is no legal reason for someone to buy bulk
quantities of the drug, which is supposed to be used in limited doses
to treat cold symptoms.

It takes about 450 60-milligram tablets of pseudoephedrine to produce
an ounce of methamphetamine, he said.

State law does not limit how much pseudoephedrine someone can buy or
sell, unless the seller knows it is intended to be used in
manufacturing methamphetamine.

Still, bulk quantities of pseudoephedrine are available through what
officials call "gray market" sources.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Fields said access to brands of
pseudoephedrine popular with methamphetamine manufacturers - which
usually are not used as medicine - must be limited.

"Legitimate uses for this gray market pseudoephedrine are extremely
limited, although they are marketed as cold medicine," he said.

Fields said he believes the manufacturers and distributors who stock
the "gray market" know that a large quantity of their pseudoephedrine
will wind up being used to make methamphetamine.

He said the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and attorney general's office
recently filed a civil lawsuit against several pseudoephedrine
distributors and wholesalers in an attempt to reduce the flow of that
precursor onto the streets.

"Actions of this sort are steps in the right direction," Fields
said.

Similar action has been taken by law enforcement authorities.

Seven local residents were arrested in August for allegedly selling
large quantities of pseudoephedrine to undercover officers who said
they wanted the pills to cook meth.

The Aug. 2 raid marked the end of a two-year investigation by local,
state and federal authorities.

Prior to that raid, Enid police had distributed information about the
laws regarding the sale of pseudoephedrine.

The narcotics unit has continued its educational efforts since then,
leading many Enid retailers to take steps to prevent the precursor
from falling into the hands of meth cooks.

"They're aware this stuff's being used to make meth," Morris
said.

Some retailers have moved their stock of pseudoephedrine products
behind the counter because it is a regular target for thieves. They
also monitor sales of other precursors substances, including lithium
batteries.

"We'd like to see them all do it," Detective Rick Tanner
said.

The officers in Enid's narcotics unit also said it is important for
people to be able to recognize the signs that could indicate a
possible methamphetamine lab, such as a strong odor of ether.

Tanner said the department has received a number of good leads from
residents who smelled ether or noticed blacked out windows or unusual
traffic at a house in the neighborhood.

Those kind of tips will help police reduce the methamphetamine problem
in Enid, but it takes time to investigate them.

"Let us know," Tanner said. "That's a good start."