STATEHOUSE (Feb. 2, 2010) - State Sen. Carlin Yoder (R-Middlebury) is working to curb the use and manufacturing of methamphetamine in Indiana by strengthening laws established to track the sales of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, the common over-the-counter ingredients used to make the narcotic.

Senate lawmakers approved Yoder’s Senate Bill 285 today by vote of 46-4. His measure now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Last year, 1,096 dangerous meth labs were dismantled by law enforcement in Indiana, propelling the state to second place in the nation for the number of meth labs investigated, according to Yoder.

“Methamphetamine continues to plague Indiana, despite efforts to control the buying and selling of meth’s main ingredients and harsh penalties for getting caught making it, dealing it or using it,” Yoder said. “By more aggressively tracking the sales of these drugs, we could dissuade people from using meth in the first place, while creating a trail law enforcement can use to find a dealer, user or laboratory.”

Yoder’s SB 285 contains new provisions concerning purchasing and selling of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine:

• Requires the attorney general to enter into agreement with retailers to ensure they are thoroughly monitoring their pseudoephedrine and ephedrine sales;
• Requires retailers to electronically transmit information on the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to a statewide tracking system. Retailers have 180 days after entering into an agreement with the attorney general to begin entering data into the tracking system. These requirements do not apply to companies who do not sell items to walk-in customers;
• Prohibits retailers from selling a customer more than 3.6 grams of either drug in one day or nine grams in a 30-day period. Currently, federal law prohibits businesses from selling more than 3 grams of the drugs in one transaction;
• Requires businesses that sell either drug to post warnings that it is a criminal offense to buy more of the drugs than what is allowed. Employees will advise customers of the offenses. If requested, employees can inform customers on how many grams of ephedrine of pseudoephedrine they are buying;
• Specifies that the Board of Pharmacy will adopt rules pertaining to pharmacies that do not comply with established standards; and
• Requires the Indiana State Police to report to the Legislative Council before June 30, 2013, on how effective the tracking system is in reducing the production of methamphetamine.

“Currently, retailers complete a paper or electronic log of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine sales,” Yoder said. “I am proposing that Indiana join Kentucky, Illinois and Louisiana in operating a free, multi-state electronic tracking system that enforces purchase limitations on over-the-counter products containing these drugs. Hopefully, provisions in my bill will become law and we can get criminals off our streets and meth users the help they need to kick their deadly habit.”

Sen. Yoder represents Senate District 12, which includes portions of Elkhart County.

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