For Immediate Release
June 26, 2006
Back

Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Madigan's "Combat Meth Initiative"

(HARRISBURG) - - The State Senate today approved a comprehensive, seven-bill package that is aimed at stopping the growing use and production of the deadly drug methamphetamine, according to Senator Roger Madigan (R-Bradford),  who sponsored one of the measures. 

 The "Pennsylvania Combat Meth Initiative" will make it more difficult to obtain the ingredients necessary to make methamphetamine, add new protections for children, and clean up the environmental damage caused by meth labs. 

Senator Madigan got involved in the effort to crack down on meth production after two Bradford County Sheriff deputies were gunned down as they tried to serve a warrant on a meth user who was producing the drug in his home. He worked with Bradford County Sheriff Steve Evans to develop legislation to make it harder to produce meth from easily obtainable materials. 

"We owe it to them, and the many victims of this drug, to redouble our efforts to fight this deadly scourge," Madigan said.  "Meth has become a public health epidemic, particularly in rural Pennsylvania.  These bills will crack down on those who use and produce this deadly drug." 

Last year, Madigan sponsored a law that makes it a crime to possess the ingredients used to produce meth -- including includes anhydrous ammonia, a chemical commonly used as a fertilizer by farms.  His current bill, Senate Bill 1115, would allow the Secretary of Health to add additional chemicals to the current list of controlled substances by regulation if they are found to be used in the production of drugs such as meth.         

In addition to Madigan's legislation, the package includes the following measures: 

• Create "Methwatch," a cooperative program between the Attorney General's Office and retailers to educate and provide warnings regarding methamphetamine and the common ingredients used to make it. (Senate Bill 1121, Senator Robbins)

• Limit the sale of pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in many over-the-counter cold medicines. The bill, which must be amended to make it consistent with federal law, also makes it an offense to knowingly possess ephedrine with the intent to unlawfully manufacture methamphetamine.  (Senate Bill 1116, Senator Wonderling)
• Make it a specific violation of the Controlled Substance Act to possess an ephedrine-related substance with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine.  (Senate Bill 1118, Senator Gordner)
• Make it a criminal offense to operate a meth lab and impose additional penalties for operating a lab near a school or day care center.  (Senate Bill 1117, Senator Gordner)
• Make it a misdemeanor for a parent or guardian to knowingly operate a methamphetamine laboratory in the vicinity of a child. (Senate Bill 1120, Senator Robbins)
• Allow the court to assess costs on a defendant convicted of an offense involving a meth lab to assess environmental clean up costs against the defendant.  (Senate Bill 1119, Senator Gordner)

CONTACT:

CAROL MARAVIC
(717) 787-6725