Jim Sensenbrenner: “In 2006, Congress took significant steps to reduce methamphetamine production and distribution by passing the Combat…”

“In 2006, Congress took significant steps to reduce methamphetamine production and distribution by passing the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act. Today, the House will consider H.R. 2923, the Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act, which will address problems that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has identified in the implementation of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act. H.R. 2923 aims to strengthen enforcement measures and ensure that retailers are in full compliance with the law. Prior to passage of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, it was common practice for methamphetamine dealers to go into stores, load up shopping carts with cold medicines, break open the blister packs, and use the pseudoephedrine and ephedrine to make methamphetamine. The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act stopped this practice, by requiring that cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine be placed behind a pharmacy counter, requiring signature and proof of identification before purchase, and limiting how much of these medicines a person can buy in a day or month. However, the law contains a loophole that allows retailers to continue to sell products containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine without showing that their employees are complying with the law's requirement.”