New law requires meth ingredient to be tracked electronically

Missouri stepped up the fight against methamphetamine labs Tuesday when Gov. Matt Blunt signed a new law requiring pharmacies to keep electronic records on people who buy a key ingredient in the drug.

Blunt, appearing at a news conference at the Jackson Fire Department administration building, said that while Missouri has not defeated meth, the new law will add to the arsenal available to law enforcement combating the problem.

Missouri in 2005 enacted a law requiring drug stores to keep a log book of anyone who purchases medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Officials have credited that law, along with limits on purchases, with reducing the number of meth-lab busts by 40 percent. But Missouri still recorded more meth-lab busts in 2007 -- 1,189 -- than any other state.

"We are clearly not where we want to be combating methamphetamine," Blunt said at the news conference.

The electronic records will allow law enforcement to track purchases of pseudoephedrine more closely and free officers from time-consuming searches of written logs. The records could also help flag potential meth lab operators who are purchasing from multiple stores.

"This will save law enforcement a significant amount of time," Blunt said.

The electronic log has been credited in other states with significantly reduce the number of meth labs. Oklahoma, for example, saw a 92 percent reduction in the number of labs busted in 2007 after passing a similar law in 2006.

Some lawmakers pushed for the electronic log in 2005, said Rep. Scott Lipke, R-Jackson, who attended the news conference. "It was a little too much to bite off at the time," he said.

Lipke added that he would like to see electronic monitoring of more prescription drugs, such as oxycodone, a highly addictive synthetic narcotic commonly called "hillbilly heroin."

"That is the natural next step," Lipke said.

The law requires the electronic recording of pseudoephedrine sales to begin Jan. 1.

The measure also includes provisions allowing advanced nurse practitioners to write prescriptions for controlled substances, which nursing advocates have argued will streamline health care and free doctors from routine duties.

In addition, the bill rewrites the laws governing controlled substances to match current federal rules.

rkeller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126

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