Thallemer Meeting With Legislators To Talk Tougher Pseudoephedrine Law

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jennifer [email protected]

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer is joining with mayors from Evansville, Muncie and Plymouth today to discuss with state lawmakers the problems their cities face from methamphetamine production.
Thallemer will testify to lawmakers during a House committee hearing on the problems the county faces with meth.
While Thallemer is at the statehouse he also will meet with Rep. Rebecca Kubacki, R-Syracuse, who authored legislation that would make pseudoephedrine a controlled drug.
Shoppers can obtain cold and cough medicine containing pseudoephedrine behind the counter by showing identification and signing their name, which is stored in an electronic database.
Under Kubacki’s legislation, consumers would have to show a doctor's prescription in order to obtain products containing pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient used in making meth.
During a telephone interview, Thallemer said he is meeting with lawmakers during the House committee hearing in Indianapolis to discuss Senate Bill 496.
The bill reduces the amount of pseudoephedrine products someone may purchase per year from 71 grams down to 61 grams.
The bill would allow Hoosiers to purchase only eight months worth of over-the-counter drugs containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine each year. To get more than that, buyers would need doctors’ prescriptions.
Lawmakers are considering a proposal to tighten existing limits on pseudoephedrine-based products.
“It’s a step in the right direction to control methamphetamine production,” Thallemer said. “We are asking lawmakers to do something to move us in the right direction.”
Thallemer said he supports requiring a doctor’s prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine-based products.
He also said he supports tamper-resistant products that he said are equally effective as Sudafed, but have a chemical additive that prevents them from being cooked into methamphetamine.
Thallemer said the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force is doing an excellent job of responding to methamphetamine situations.
“The ideal is to prevent and keep pseudoephedrine out of the hands of these individuals who create methamphetamine,” Thallemer said.
He said the county is spending money to clean up, prosecute and rehabilitate those who use meth and pick up the pieces from the effects on not only the individuals, but also their families.
“You think you’ve made progress, but it continues to happen because of the addictive nature of the drug,” Thallemer said.[[In-content Ad]]

Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer is joining with mayors from Evansville, Muncie and Plymouth today to discuss with state lawmakers the problems their cities face from methamphetamine production.
Thallemer will testify to lawmakers during a House committee hearing on the problems the county faces with meth.
While Thallemer is at the statehouse he also will meet with Rep. Rebecca Kubacki, R-Syracuse, who authored legislation that would make pseudoephedrine a controlled drug.
Shoppers can obtain cold and cough medicine containing pseudoephedrine behind the counter by showing identification and signing their name, which is stored in an electronic database.
Under Kubacki’s legislation, consumers would have to show a doctor's prescription in order to obtain products containing pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient used in making meth.
During a telephone interview, Thallemer said he is meeting with lawmakers during the House committee hearing in Indianapolis to discuss Senate Bill 496.
The bill reduces the amount of pseudoephedrine products someone may purchase per year from 71 grams down to 61 grams.
The bill would allow Hoosiers to purchase only eight months worth of over-the-counter drugs containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine each year. To get more than that, buyers would need doctors’ prescriptions.
Lawmakers are considering a proposal to tighten existing limits on pseudoephedrine-based products.
“It’s a step in the right direction to control methamphetamine production,” Thallemer said. “We are asking lawmakers to do something to move us in the right direction.”
Thallemer said he supports requiring a doctor’s prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine-based products.
He also said he supports tamper-resistant products that he said are equally effective as Sudafed, but have a chemical additive that prevents them from being cooked into methamphetamine.
Thallemer said the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force is doing an excellent job of responding to methamphetamine situations.
“The ideal is to prevent and keep pseudoephedrine out of the hands of these individuals who create methamphetamine,” Thallemer said.
He said the county is spending money to clean up, prosecute and rehabilitate those who use meth and pick up the pieces from the effects on not only the individuals, but also their families.
“You think you’ve made progress, but it continues to happen because of the addictive nature of the drug,” Thallemer said.[[In-content Ad]]
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