Is it possible to stop the illegal production of methamphetamine here in Alabama? Meth is a hallucinogenic product that is “cooked” by combining some “normal” types of ingredients and heating them to produce a white powder that is used to get a person high.
It is quite marketable in our area, unfortunately, and as long as there are customers, there will be those who choose to defy the law and create this product that causes addiction, damage, and even death.
According to Alabama Senator Paul Bussman, this is a problem that belongs to all of us. He called a meeting on Monday December 19, 2011 with a wide variety of community workers, to lay out some ideas as to what can be done. Three sheriffs, several local legislators, pharmaceutical lobbyists and their clients, judges and prosecutors, local pharmacists and at least one Cullman area physician attended the summit.
The legislators sought to gain information from the local law enforcement and medical professionals that can be used to help them formulate legislation. One of the major topics revolved around whether pseudoephedrine (PSE), a chemical used in common cold medicines but unfortunately also used to create meth, should be banned from over the counter sales. Oregon and Mississippi have already passed such a law.
Some raised questions as to whether this type of legislation would solve the problem or not. District Judge Kim Chaney believes that it is critical to do so. There is a company out there that will monitor PSE sales, but she did not believe that the over the counter monitoring system would be sufficient. “As far as I can tell, the system has only created another layer of access for people to make money,” said Chaney. “The NPLEx system, as far as I can tell, is not reducing access to the pseudoephedrine — it’s just not working ... I think we may [instead] need to talk to the federal government about carving out a special exemption to regulate this type of drug.”
Bussman added that, “This meth problem is not something that law enforcement is going to fix by itself — it’s gonna take a collaborative effort between pharmacists, doctors, law enforcement, people in the community. And after tonight, I feel very strongly that law enforcement and the district attorneys are asking for help — so now, we have to get to the details.”
