Some want pseudoephedrine, found in over-the-counter cold medications, to become a prescription-only product to help in the fight against meth. (WSBT photo)
Story Created:
Mar 30, 2009 at 3:26 PM EST
Story Updated:
Apr 5, 2009 at 7:17 AM EST
MISHAWAKA — Meth is a problem plaguing more and more of our local communities. But for some, the solution to this so-called meth epidemic comes with a controversial cost.
Police say they have a simple solution to this complex problem. But some legislators say it's not that simple. One thing they do agree on — something needs to be done now.
Some say solving the meth epidemic starts right in the pharmacy. Meth-makers must have pseudoephedrine to make the drug. It's an ingredient found in most over-the-counter cold medicines.
A few years ago, lawmakers passed a bill limiting the amount a person can buy and requiring pharmacists to log the buyer's information. The goal was to help police keep track of it. But meth-makers are finding a way around it.
"Because the pharmacies are not linked together," said Indiana State Police officer Jason Faulstich.
Jeff Huff is the President of the Elkhart County Pharmacy Association. He says linking the pharmacies is an unlikely solution.
"There's no way that CVS and Wal-Mart and Krogers are going to allow their computer systems to be linked," said Huff.
Bill Wargo, Sr. is the chief investigator with the Elkhart County Prosecutor's Office. He has a different answer.
"If there's only one base ingredient that you have to have consistently across every single cook method, then it seems fairly simple for even the simplest minds to comprehend that if you control that, you have made a huge impact to the problem," said Wargo.
Wargo, like many other officers, wants pseudoephedrine to become a prescription-only product.
"We could probably almost guarantee that our labs will drop because they will not have access to the pseudo," said Faulstich.
But pharmacists say controlling the drug would come with hefty consequences.
"It's going to be a real problem for people that really need it. Like right now, this time of year, colds are going around. We've had a lot of people suffering that pseudoephedrine would help," said Huff.
The meth epidemic is prompting lawmakers to take action. State Representative Tim Neese from Elkhart co-authored a bill this session that would make pseudoephedrine prescription-only, but it failed to pass. Neese blames it on being a budget year.
"This obviously, though important, does not have any significance in terms of lowering taxes or providing funding for education or unemployment benefits. So, I think it was really just a matter of time that we have available as well as what a priority it is," said Neese.
But Wargo doesn't buy it. He says meth has everything to do with the budget.
"Sometimes if they're dealing with one meth lab, two meth labs, three meth labs and we're number four on the Queue, then we have officers on overtime waiting for them to come. It's not their fault. So, it impacts a lot of people's budgets in a lot of different ways," said Wargo.
Neese plans to reintroduce the bill next session. But police warn, it can't wait. And State Representative Jackie Walorski from Lakeville agrees. She plans to take the current bill one step further.
"I am going to take it though and try to attach it to a bill and at least try to get a vote on it. If I can't get that through, I'm going to attach an amendment to a bill that puts this methamphetamine issue back in a summer study committee so that we come out ready for next session with a bill that will pass," said Walorski.
To ultimately get control of a drug that's controlling the lives of so many people across our community.
"I've been involved in law enforcement since 1969, so coming up on 40 years. I've never seen anything like this in my entire law enforcement career," said Wargo.
Police say they don't know exactly how much the meth epidemic is costing the state because they don't keep track of it. But if they did, they say it's fair to say millions are being spent each year. And if something doesn't get done to stop it, it could end up costing all of us even more in the future.
