Michigan governor signs bills making it harder to purchase meth-making ingredients

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder on Thursday signed into law three bills intended to curb the practice of "smurfing," which refers to people's buying over the counter drugs that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to sell to drug manufacturers for the purpose of making methamphetamine.

One bill "prohibits a person from purchasing or possessing ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine with the knowledge of manufacturing meth," reports WNDU 16 in South Bend, Ind. Violating the law could result in up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Another bill "prohibits a person from soliciting another person to purchase or obtain ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine knowing it will be used for methamphetamine production," WNDU writes. The third bill is an amendment to the second bill, making it a Class D felony charge with a maximum 10 years of imprisonment. (Read more)