Patriot Act Includes Crackdown on Meth Use

Suffer from springtime allergies? You could be among the first affected by the USA Patriot Act poised for final congressional passage this week.

Besides terrorism, the bill takes aim at the production of methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that cannot be manufactured without a key ingredient of everyday cold and allergy medicines. The bill would impose new limits next month for how much relief a person can buy over the counter.

And beginning Sept. 30, it'll take a flash of ID to buy that medication.

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Beginning 30 days after President Bush signs the law, expected sometime this week, purchase limits go into effect. One person would be limited to buying 300, 30-mg pills in a month or 120 such pills in a day. The measure would make an exception for "single-use" sales - individually packaged pseudoephedrine products.

Source: Associated Press

 

I thought the limit was already in place - it has been in NY for at least a year now. In a lot of pharmacies, you have to ask for it from the pharmacist and it is no longer displayed on the shelves.

 

There was a limit out here, even when Clinton was pres.

 

There are many state limits and regulations on pseudoephedrine products, this is new federal regulations on them. I support the state and local officials working to keep these products out of the hands of those who use them to create meth, but I don't see how this fits into an "anti-terrorism" US Patriot Act at the federal level.

 

Well on that, we agree. I am against the Fed telling states what limits to impose. Montana has a Meth manufacturing problem. Rhode Island may not.

 

That was one thing that surprised me when I moved to Oregon. I had a cold and went to the store to buy cold medicine, and the shelves had slips of paper instead of cold medicine, to take up to the pharmacist. I did so, and when I got up there they asked for my drivers license. I gave it to them and they put my information into a computer, along with having asked for my telephone number.
So when I buy it anywhere, the computer shows how much I have bought so far.
I balked at first with giving them my information, but I wanted the medication. I'm used to it now, but it was embarassing and felt like an invasion of my privacy the first time. I walked out flustered and angry. I don't like that people seem to be watching me to make sure I'm not a criminal or gonna turn into one, when I've done nothing to make them think that. The worst thing I ever was caught for was not making a complete stop at a stop sign once, and another time I turned left on a red light.

There is a very very big problem in this area with meth and people having meth labs, but invading the privacy of EVERYONE to find the ones that are seems like overkill, and I think it takes more phosphorous than ephedrine, and I'm not seeing people being limited in how many red-tipped matches they buy, or how much drain cleaner. (we learned what's used to make it in health class, lol, I don't know this for any other reason)
I tried to look it up online to see if I was right and got my computer tagged by the Sheriff's department just now for looking for meth recipes. LOL It gave a link that said the recipes were online and free and a notice that they site wasn't responsible for anything if we used it, it was for information only, click yes to proceed and the Sheriff's office thing popped up and thanked me...
There goes MY ability to buy cold medicine...
See? Can't even do a search online without your privacy being invaded. ROFL
Don't try to look it up, ok? Or maybe we all should and keep them really really busy? AGH!

 

Now that's a great idea. Overload them.

 

JGrubbs, lean-in article:
//Suffer from springtime allergies? You could be among the first affected
by the USA Patriot Act poised for final congressional passage this week.//

Oklahoma did this 3 years ago.
All drug arrests dropped by 1/3
Meth busts (over 3,000 the year before) fell back
to the 1990 level.
People when to Mousouri to make Meth.
Cop murders went down 30%.
All murders went down 20%.

Meth terrorists have killed more people than political terrorst
in the USA and abroad.

JGrubbs: //Besides terrorism, the bill takes aim at the production
of methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug that cannot
be manufactured without a key ingredient of everyday cold
and allergy medicines.//

This data is NOT correct. One way to make Meth is to start with
Pseudoephredrine Hydrochloride - 'pseudo' meaning 'like' or 'simulating',
'ephredine' is needed for meth.
But 'ephredine' is NOT the only way to build meth.

Fortunately, the other ways of making meth use the same ingredents
one might use to make a bomb at the house.

I use about 1/2 the recommended continuial dosage of
Pseudoephredrine Hydrochloride for a decongestant.
(don't take this much* year after year unless you are under a doctor's care.)
I've had no problems getting all the decongestant i need.
I have no problem identifying myself to get decongestants - I'm
not a Meth Lord - i've got stuffy nasal passages :(

* note: back of my Suphredrine (Equate /Wal-Mart/ name for decongestent
only) box instructs:
"Stop use and ask a doctor if +nervosness, dizziness, or sleeplessness occur
+symptoms do not improve within 7 days or are accompanied by fever"