February 17, 2005

HIGHLITES FROM THE SENATE

SENATOR MARK ZIEMAN

NEWSLETTER

This week I voted to approve a tough new anti-meth bill to help curb methamphetamine production in Iowa. The bill (SF 169), unanimously approved by the Senate, places restrictions on the purchase of pseudoephedrine, a popular cold decongestant and key ingredient in meth manufacturing.

The relative ease it takes to cook up meth using accessible and affordable supplies has led to an abundance of meth labs across the state. We need to crack down on Iowa’s meth labs by making it harder for meth makers to get their hands on key ingredients used to make their drug.

I had some real concerns that this would restrict access to these medications in rural areas. The legislation would require most products containing pseudoephedrine be sold at pharmacies. However, products containing less than 360 mg of pseudoephedrine – an amount equal to 12 tablets or that found in a small bottle of children’s cold medicine – could still be sold at stores as long as the product is kept in a locked cabinet or behind the sales counter. The addition of this amendment will make it easier for those in rural areas to purchase these products.

Consumers who purchase the product from stores would be limited to two packages per customer in a 24-hour period. In addition, consumers would be required to show photo identification and sign a log book that could be made available to law enforcement officials.

This bill is not a cure-all to end the meth scourge in rural Iowa, but it will drastically reduce the amount of meth produced within our state borders.

The bill now must be considered by the Iowa House.

Representative Quirk and I will be hosting a town meeting on Saturday, February 26th, at the Chickasaw County Farm Bureau office in New Hampton. We will get started at 9:30 a.m. Please join us for discussion and refreshments.