METH LAW RESTRICTS COLD PILL SALES

State Limits Access To Ingredient Used To Manufacture Illegal
Drug

CHARLOTTE - Cold medicine joins the ranks of alcohol and cigarettes
on Thursday.

You can be carded for it.

State lawmakers hope the clamp-down will curb the production and use
of the highly addictive drug methamphetamine. Ingredients in common
cold medicines such as Sudafed - ephedrine and pseudoephedrine - can
be used to make meth.

"(Meth users) were buying bits and pieces to make it," said Kathy
Elsesser, manager of the Charlotte Meijer. "(But) we knew what the
bits and pieces were."

A new law taking effect Thursday not only makes it illegal for those
younger than 18 to buy such cold medicines but also limits customers
to two packages on any single purchase.

Other states, such as Illinois and Indiana, have enacted similar
laws.

State Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, spent 33 years in law
enforcement, most recently as Eaton County sheriff from 2000 to 2004.
He said he saw the drug trickle into Michigan from California and
other western states.

"In those 33 years, the worst drug I saw was meth," he said at a news
conference Thursday at the Eaton County Sheriff's Department. "With a
few hits, you're addicted for a lifetime."

Elsesser said her store started putting the medications behind the
counter in the summer, in anticipation of the law.

She also put up signs for customers on the changes and trained
employees on what to look for and what the drugs could do.

Although the law does restrict access to some of the medications,
Elsesser said her store hasn't seen any change in sales.

Since enacting a similar law, Oklahoma has seen a 70 percent decrease
in meth busts, said state Sen. Patty Birkholz, R-Saugatuck.

The legislator said she appreciated the cooperation she and Jones
have received from retailers so far.

"They want to be able to implement it easily for the customer ... and
not hurt their stores," she said.

Key Points Of New Law

Retailers must place medications containing ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine behind the counter, in a locked cabinet, or within 20
feet of a counter where employees can see the drugs at all times, or
use anti-theft devices or constant video surveillance.

Retailers cannot sell products containing either of these ingredients
to anyone younger than 18 years old.

Stores cannot allow consumers to buy more than two packets, or 48
tablets, at a time.

Restrictions don't apply to pediatric products for children younger
than 12; products where pseudoephedrine is in liquid form and not the
only active ingredient; and products that are prescribed.