DAVIS SUPPORTS COMPREHENSIVE METH PLANDecember 15, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- After months of planning, the House passed a comprehensive plan to tackle our nation's growing methamphetamine problem. U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis said the legislation will address the nationwide meth crisis by regulating the sale of ingredients used in the making of meth and by strengthening criminal penalties. The legislation is similar to the Meth Free Tennessee Act signed into law earlier this year by Governor Phil Bredesen.

"This comprehensive plan strikes the appropriate balance between consumer convenience and public safety," Davis said. "In a short amount of time we've seen a noticeable decrease in meth arrests due to the regulation of pseudoephedrine in Tennessee. It is my hope this plan will do the same on the national level."

The passage of this legislation comes a day after the House passed a measure requiring the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute for Standards and Technology to develop guidelines for the clean up of contaminated meth sites.

The anti-meth provisions include:

• Restrict individuals from purchasing over 3.6 grams a day or 9.0 grams a month of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine;


• Require that these precursor drugs be sold from behind the pharmacy counter or kept in a locked cabinet;


• Require that individuals show identification and sign a log book upon purchase of precursor drugs;


• Impose quantity restrictions and reporting requirements on mail order, Internet, and "flea market" sales of precursor drugs;


• Eliminate an existing exception to the law which currently allows unlimited sales of pseudophedrine pills as long as they are sold in "blister packs";


• Require exporters and importers to report on the their traffic of precursor drugs in order to prevent diversion to methamphetamine production; and


• Strengthen federal penalties for meth traffickers and smugglers as well as those who cook or deal meth in the presence of children.