FEDERAL MEASURE TO FIGHT METHAMPHETAMINE COULD ALTER STATE LAW

Pending federal legislation could force North Carolina to expand its
own anti-methamphetamine law by further restricting the sale of cold
medicines used to cook up the illicit drug.

The state law that takes effect Jan. 15 limits the sale of products
such as Sudafed, Drixoral and Claritin-D, which contain the
methamphetamine ingredients pseudoephedrine and ephedrine. North
Carolina lawmakers chose not to restrict liquid or gel-cap forms of
the medicine, or those specifically for children, because they said
there had been no reports of this state's meth manufacturers using them.

But federal officials say meth cooks are using the gel caps
elsewhere. Their measure would force the nation's retailers to store
the caps behind store counters with other cold medicines that contain
meth ingredients.

"The goal is to get ahead of the meth cooks," said Rich Chrismer, a
spokesman for Sen. James Talent, the Missouri Republican who
sponsored the anti-meth bill in the Senate.

Under the federal legislation, states could enact measures tougher
than the federal standards, but they couldn't pass less restrictive
laws, said a spokesman for co-sponsor Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a
California Democrat.

N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper, an advocate for tougher
methamphetamine laws, welcomed the federal law and the money and
training it could bring to law enforcement officials.

He disagreed with allowing the federal law to trump state legislation.

"That's important because states can react very quickly to a problem.
That's how we know this works," Cooper said.

Methamphetamine -- also called crank, crystal or ice -- is cheap to
make and often is "cooked" in homes, cars, or motels. It's also easy to sell.

The drug's high lasts longer than those of other drugs, and users can
stay awake for days at a time. Addiction leads to psychotic or
violent behavior and brain damage. Withdrawal symptoms include
depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia and aggression.

Meth use began in the West and has been spreading east for years.
North Carolina's foothill and mountain counties have been
particularly besieged by the trade.