Area lawmakers taking lead in legislation to fight meth labs

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A bipartisan group of state representatives on Thursday filed legislation already endorsed by the governor and many law enforcement agencies that would tightly control the sale of common cold and flu medications used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

The bill, modeled on an Oklahoma law, would require products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, including the popular Sudafed, to be sold only in pharmacies. Customers would have to show photo identification and their names would be recorded in a log so law enforcement could identify those who make frequent purchases.

Southeast Missouri state Reps. Scott Lipke, R-Cape Girardeau, and Wes Wagner, D-DeSoto, are two of the four House members taking the lead on the issue. The House Crime Prevention and Public Safety Committee, which Lipke chairs, is expected to handle the measure, dubbed the STOP Meth Act. STOP stands for Securing and Tracking Of Pseudoephedrine.

Wagner said that while Missouri leads the nation in meth production, Jefferson County, which is part of his district, leads the state.

"Last year the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department seized over 300 labs and dedicated nearly 25 percent of it's budget for this effort," Wagner said. "Critical resources are being depleted to control this epidemic."

The bill's sponsors said the recent passage of the law in Oklahoma led to an 80 percent drop in meth crimes there. Oklahoma's good news, however, has been bad news for Missouri as meth producers have simply crossed the border to do business.

"The problem has actually gotten worse because of the success in Oklahoma," said state Rep. Jack Goodman, R-Mount Vernon.

Existing Missouri law limits customers to buying two packs of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine per purchase. Since such products can be easily obtained at convenience stores and supermarkets, however, meth producers simply drive from store to store until they get the amount of raw ingredients they need, a practice known as "smurfing."

In addition to providing a record of purchases, limiting sales to pharmacies would require meth producers to travel greater distances to get sufficient product, said state Rep. Bob Behnen, R-Kirksville.

"We have not seen the criminal element make those long trips to do that," Behnen said. "They're trying to be efficient, too. We're trying to stop them from being efficient."

The bill would prohibit people from buying more than nine grams of the restricted products in a 30-day period.

The liquid form of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products, as well as gel caps with a liquid center, would be exempt from the restrictions and still available at convenience stores, which would minimize the hardship on rural Missourians who don't live near pharmacies. Lipke said the liquid form isn't particularly useful in meth production.

"We are trying to strike a delicate balance keeping in mind what's important to the consumer," Lipke said.

Gov. Matt Blunt endorsed the legislation in his State of the State address last week.

The bill is HB 441.

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