US IN: MONITORING METH

State Police Launch New 'Watch Kits' For Retailers

LAPORTE COUNTY -- Indiana State Police are recruiting retailers as
cornerstones in the fight against methamphetamine.

State police have launched a voluntary educational program called
Meth Watch, and are distributing Meth Watch Kits to local retailers.

"Retailers across Indiana welcome Meth Watch so we can continue to
educate our employees, customers and communities about meth abuse,"
Grant Monahan, president of the Indiana Retail Council, said in a
state police press release.

Indiana Meth Watch is a statewide campaign aimed at slowing the
spread of methamphetamine sales and use in Indiana communities. The
program is administered by the Meth Free Indiana Coalition, comprised
of more than 15 state government agencies working with retailers,
groceries, pharmacies, gas stations and convenience stores.

The coalition formed in response to a new Indiana law, known as the
"Meth Protection Act," placing restrictions on the sale of products
such as cold and allergy medicines that are often used illegally to
create meth laboratories.

Drug dealers "cook" such ingredients together to produce methamphetamine.

In Meth Watch, participating retailers will work with police to train
employees to watch out for suspicious customers. Retailers will also
put up Meth Watch materials, create a procedure to report suspicious
activity and provide information to customers.

As of July 1 of this year, cold and allergy medicines containing
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine can be sold only to consumers 18 or
older, and require the purchaser to show a photo ID and sign a log book.

The law also limits the number of tablets sold to any one customer
per week to 100.

Proprietors of LaPorte pharmacies Phil's Discount Drugs, 702 E.
Lincoln Way, and Hilbish Drug, 606 Lincoln Way, told The Herald-Argus
that they now keep such cold and allergy medicines behind their
counters or off their shelves. They also require consumers to sign a
log when purchasing those items.

But neither store had yet received information on the new Meth Watch Kits.

Brian Bartlette, community involvement coordinator for Wal-Mart, 333
Boyd Blvd., LaPorte, told The Herald-Argus that the store's logs are
now automated with information being kept in a database so that
police can access them as needed.

"We encourage retailers to participate in this educational program
geared to consumers," Cecilia Wylie, Indiana Meth Watch Coordinator,
said in the release. "There is no cost to the state or local
communities because the Meth Watch Kits were purchased through a
federal grant."

Kits include: a training DVD for employees to learn about the
program, a poster to place in employee-only areas explaining the
store's support of the campaign, a door decal to alert would-be meth
cookers that the retailer participates in the program, shelf danglers
to place next to products used to make meth, a register decal to
serve as a final reminder that the store's aware of the meth problem,
flyers to give to the public explaining why the store is
participating in the program, and suspicious-transaction reports for
employees and management to turn into state and local police.

How To Receive A Meth Watch Kit

Retailers in Lake, LaPorte, Porter, Jasper, Newton, Starke, and
Pulaski counties may request a kit by contacting Indiana State
Police, Lowell post, at 1-800-552-8917.