Thursday, April 10, 2014

Tennessee House passes anti-meth bill to further limit purchases of pseudoephedrine

The Tennessee House passed an anti-methamphetamine bill Wednesday to limit the amount of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in making meth. It would make the number of tablets that can be purchased without a prescription to 48 per month and 240 a year. The bill, which passed 81-17, would lowers the current monthly cap of 75 but falls short of what other major players in state government want. 

"Opponents of the bill argued that legitimate purchasers should not face even more restrictions when most of the methamphetamine used in Tennessee is made outside the state," Chas Sisk reports for The Tennessean. "But supporters said tighter limits will discourage meth production in Tennessee, which ranks second in the nation in meth lab seizures."

The bill now goes to the Senate, which has argued for even lower limits, having pushed for a maximum of 40 tablets per month and 120 tablets per year without a prescription, Sisk reports. Gov. Bill Haslam also favors that limit. He is a Republican, and the GOP controls both legislative chambers. (Read more)

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