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Posted on 05/10/2007 5:02:46 AM PDT by oblomov
WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), both members of the Senate Anti-Meth Caucus, today introduced the Methamphetamine Production Prevention Act of 2007. This legislation will promote the use of electronic logbook systems by pharmacies to better track the sales of ingredients that could be used to make meth.
Most of the chemicals necessary to produce methamphetamine are readily available in household products or over-the-counter cold or allergy medicines such as pseudoephedrine. Current law restricts the amount of these ingredients that can be purchased at one time by a single person. Some meth producers have been able to get around restrictions by "smurfing" - purchasing illegal amounts of meth precursor drugs by traveling to multiple pharmacies and buying small quantities at each.
"'Smurfing' now accounts for at least 90% of the pseudoephedrine used to make meth in Illinois," said Durbin. "Electronic logbook systems provide a more effective method of tracking the purchases of these drugs. With the proper resources, pharmacies can keep their logbook information electronically and share that information with law enforcement. The information can then be used to identify and prosecute meth manufacturers attempting to beat the system."
"The Midwest has been hit especially hard by meth and the ability to buy the ingredients over the counter," Grassley said. "Despite the positive impact the Combat Meth Act has had on lowering the production of home cooked meth, people are exploiting loopholes that allow one to smurf between different pharmacies. An electronic logbook will be a tremendous asset for local law enforcement and businesses as they work to end the devastating impact of meth on our communities."
Today's legislation revises the technical logbook requirements found in the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act ("Combat Meth Act"). Enacted in 2006, the Combat Meth Act limits the amount of meth precursor drugs - drugs that can be used to make meth, such as pseudoephedrine - that a customer can buy and requires pharmacies to keep written or electronic logbooks recording each purchase of the drugs. This approach has led to a drop in the number of meth labs discovered in many states, however, meth producers are beginning to adapt to the current restrictions through the practice of "smurfing".
"For years, methamphetamine has been plaguing communities in Illinois and throughout the nation," said Durbin. "Law enforcement agencies are forced to devote a large percentage of their time to finding, busting and cleaning up meth labs - taking away precious resources that should be used for crime prevention. Law enforcement experts agree that electronic logbook systems are an important tool in our efforts to combat meth. We can, and should, do more to help make these logbook systems work."
Today's legislation
Creates a federal grant program that would provide money to states to create or enhance electronic logbook systems; Assists law enforcement in combating the meth epidemic by improving the effectiveness of the electronic logbook systems; Awards federal grants on a priority basis to encourage states to design logbook systems that will be effective in stopping smurfing across state and county lines; and Preserves existing privacy safeguards that are currently found in federal and state law. This bill has been endorsed by numerous organizations, including the National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies, the National Narcotics Officers' Associations' Coalition, the National Criminal Justice Association, the National Sheriffs' Association, the Major County Sheriffs' Association, the National Troopers Coalition, the National District Attorneys Association, the National Association of Countries, and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.
On March 15, Durbin and Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) introduced another meth-related bill, the Family-Based Meth Treatment Act of 2007 which seeks to improve comprehensive, family-based substance abuse treatment for methamphetamine addiction. On April 25, Grassley and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced legislation to increase federal penalties for drug dealers who entice children with candy flavored meth.
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But that would hurt their appeasement of foreigners and their ready-made voting base, plus it wouldn't be an expansion of their powers over Americans. Where's the fun in that?
This will lead to new job opportunities for document forgers, giving a much needed boost to the market for identity theft! What is needed is a national REAL ID with biometric identification stored on a chip on the card. That way, not only will many more highly-skilled document forgers find well-paying employment, but it will create an impetus to build a central federal biometric database, providing thousands of jobs in government service. It is these kinds of economy-growing endeavors that bipartisanship on the WOD is known for, and we congratulate the Senate for perpetuating this fruitful effort.
I wonder if this electronic note book will work as good as other government programs to keep track of goings on..like keeping track of students in the US on expired visas, multiple use of social security numbers. the list could go on and on...and then the electronic note book will get lifted from some hi government officals car, and all the info will be stolen ...
This new law is unnecessary. They’ve hit the point of diminishing returns already. The new law will only cost money and end up causing more problems than it solves. If they want to really do something, they need to start figuring out ways to control the flow of pseudoephedrine from the nine or ten factories around the world that produce all of it. Track shipments from these factories and try to keep organized crime from getting their hands on tons of pseudoephedrine at a time. That would really hurt the organizations that supply almost all the meth in this country and around the world.
I moved across the hall in the dorm
I moved back across the hall
I moved home for the summer
I mmight go to Europe for spring break
I changed my mind, I may go to Mexico for spring break instead.
The selective service was choked on its own regulatory compliance and had to suspend the notification requirements. We should all open savings accounts and make exactly three withdrawals per month. Who would not want to help homeland security?
Government "solutions" to the crisis of the moment inevitably lead to lost liberties and more State control over the citizenry.
Meth is horrible. More government is worse, in the long run.
Good point. And they'll stop the flow of meth from south of the border - just like they stopped the flow of cocaine, pot, ecstacy, illegal immigrants, et cetera, et cetera...
What?? Who cares what I do with my savings account? You’re joking, right?
That's OK. Ever notice that the folks up in Chicagoland will elect ANYONE with the last name of Daley?
Hell, I could move to Chi-Town from Indianapolis, change my name to Darth Daley, base my campaign on the power of the Dark Side, wear a black cloak all the time, cackle at and mock my opponents in the debates, and I'd STILL get elected to the office of Mayor of Chicago.
It’s a sad day when we even have to outsource this...keep American Jobs and Money in America!
I just flash my ID, sign my name as "Nunya Bidness," and give my address as the same as the Statehouse.
Seriously - that's what I do! The minimum wage kludge-with-the-snappy-blue-vest behind the counter doesn't care one bit.
"Armed insurrection will get you killed. But millions of tiny acts of rebellion can amount to a whole lot of headache for those in power!"
Not to mention the House Sub-Committee on Frownie Faces and Doodie-Heads.
So, people with periodic heartburn are now considered "Persons Of Interest"??
They can have my Arm & Hammer when they pry it from my cold dead hands!
"We have to protect our phoney-baloney jobs! Harrumph! Harrumph!"
Exactly! We shouldn't get violent - we should overload the whole damned thing.
Parking ticket? Insist on a trial by jury, and then when court convenes, plead no contest and pay the fine. That kind of thing.
Hey, that could actually WORK!
ROFLMOA - seriously, that one distracted me from tonight's episode of "My Name Is Earl".
The NY Slimes will congratulate Congress on this important piece of legislation and once again complain about government monitoring foreign terrorists who telephone their fellow jihadists here in the US.
They can have my Arm & Hammer when they pry it from my cold dead hands!
Exactly. I think it is a tremendous opportunity for some creative civil disobedience.
Sign as mickey mouse and use 123456789 as the SSN/DL #
Just goes to show the scumbags at the top care more about getting good foreign press than about upholding and defending the Constitution.
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