Tighter Meth Law

VINCENNES, IND. (WTHI) -      Hoosier mayors call for tougher laws on buying a key ingredient for making meth.

     The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns legislative agenda for the coming session includes a call for a new law requiring a prescription to purchase all products containing pseudoephedrine.

     for one southern Indiana mayor the matter is as much about protecting kids as it is keeping meth makers at bay.

       Scenes of police raiding a meth operation have been far too common for the past 2 decades in Vincennes.

     This area was one of the first in Indiana to get hit with methamphetemines.

     Now, Indiana's mayors want the state to change the law on pseudoephedrine products making them available by prescription only.
 
     Vincennes Mayor Joe Yochum agrees with the idea.

     "I support that," said Yochum.  "We've got to get a handle on meth and if this is the route that has to be taken then I'm for that."

     Indiana already requires retailers to keep pseudoephedrine products behind the counter, that customers show identification, and that purchases be limited, but authorities say meth makers have come up with ways around those laws and it's time for even stricter measures.

     Police in southern Indiana estimate that 80 percent of all prisoners in local jails are there on drug related crime and in southern Indiana the majority of those drug cases are tied to meth.

     While meth is impacting the adults who take it, Mayor Yochum says his concern is for the littler victims of the drug.

     "A lot of these individuals have children that are affected by this," he said.  "You know, being in the homes so if this is a way we can curb it, not only stop them but help their children then this is something we need to be doing."

     And that's one more reason the mayor's are turning to the legislature to put another obstacle in the way of those who manufacture meth.
 
     Indiana officials say they have dismantled 28 percent more meth labs this year than last year.

    The IACT proposal also includes a request that individual counties be given the authority to decide whether products containing pseudo ephedrine will require a prescription.