NEW METH LAWS LEAD TO MEDICINE LOCKUP

Shoppers in Vigo County adjusted to a new way they bought cold and
allergy medicines this year.

Beginning in January, over-the-counter drugs such as Sudafed and
Claritin-D were no longer on the shelf but behind a store counter or
in a locked case.

Vigo County's methamphetamine ordinance, which took effect Jan. 24,
limited selling more than two packages of drugs containing
pseudoephedrine or ephedrine within a seven-day period. It also
required customers to show a photo identification and sign a log
book if they bought the drugs without a prescription.

Wabash Valley law enforcement officials believe there is a direct
link to the ordinance and fewer methamphetamine labs - last year the
county seized 166 labs and this year, by mid-December, 62 labs were
seized, according to statistics from the Vigo County Drug Task Force.

We noticed the very next month, in February, a drop in meth labs,"
said Vigo County Sheriff Jon Marvel.

Inmate population related to methamphetamine charges, whether
dealing, possession or manufacturing, also has decreased.

About a year and a half ago, 80 percent of those in jail were there
on a methamphetamine-related charge, said Marvel, citing a jail
survey. In early December 2005, less than 30 percent were
incarcerated for the same charges, he said.

Law enforcement officers statewide have seen fewer methamphetamine labs.

In 2004, police dismantled 1,549 labs compared to 939 labs
dismantled from January to the end of November, according to the
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Indiana's law, Senate Enrolled Act 444, mirrors Vigo County's
ordinance and took effect in July. Since Vigo County's ordinance was
passed in 2004, it was not affected by the state law, which would
not allow local governments to pass their own ordinances after February.

State law prohibits anyone from buying more than three grams of
pseudoephedrine within seven days and requires retailers to keep the
drugs behind the counter, in a locked case or directly in front of a
pharmacy counter with video surveillance.

It also mandated specific protocols when police find meth labs,
including notifying the Division of Family and Children if a child
is at the scene. A statewide Meth Watch education program was
launched for retailers and consumers throughout the state.

Vigo County's ordinance is stricter than the state's because it
requires retailers to obtain a permit to sell the products and give
the log to police for tracking purposes. Since February, the county
has used P&S Consulting Inc. to record and track
pseudoephedrine and ephedrine purchases.

Since the county's ordinance has been in effect, Vigo County Drug
Task Force has made 31 citations for ordinance violations, said
Detective Paul Hartzler. Four of the citations were written to
businesses for violating the ordinance and four were written for
state law violations, he said. Two individuals who were cited for
an ordinance violation were arrested because they also were charged
with manufacturing methamphetamine, Hartzler said.

Before the state law was passed, some retailers decided to move cold
medicine products off the shelves and behind the counters. When the
county ordinance was passed, 500 Express decided to pull
pseudoephedrine and ephedrine products from their stores.

Other organizations attempted to end the devastation caused by meth
addiction by creating new treatment programs.

The Indiana Department of Correction formed a Clean Lifestyle is
Freedom Forever (CLIFF) program for inmates this year. CLIFF units
opened at Miami Correctional Facility, Wabash Valley Correctional
Facility and Rockville Correctional Facility.

A grant will enable Vigo County Community Corrections to work with
the Hamilton Center in 2006 to provide services for those released
from the IDOC who need continued treatment, said Bill Watson,
director of Vigo County Community Corrections. The partnership also
will provide treatment services for those who have
a methamphetamine addiction and are sentenced to the work-release
program, once the new building at First and Ohio streets is open at
the beginning of the year.