Meth Battle In Oklahoma Being Won According To Officials
This press release also appeared the Wagoner Tribune, Elk City News, Hobart Democrat-Chief, Perry Daily Journal and Hominy News-Progress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today highlighted the signi?cant success achieved by Oklahoma law enforcement and elected of?cials in the ongoing effort to address methamphetamine production in the state.
Recent data released by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) show that Oklahoma has experienced a more than 50 percent decline in meth lab incidents in the year since Governor Mary Fallin signed a major anti-meth bill into law.
The law, which was authored by state Senator Rick Brinkley and Representative David Derby, included signi?cant enhancements to the state’s real-time pseudoephedrine (PSE) tracking system as well as the implementation of a meth offender block list that prohibits certain drug offenders from being able to purchase PSE-based medicines without a doc- tor’s prescription.
“The Oklahoma law enforcement community and members of the Legislature are to be commended for making signi?cant, quanti?able strides against meth criminals,” said Carlos Gutierrez, senior director of state government affairs for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, in a media release. “In 2012, the state had 830 recorded meth lab incidents. Just one year later, it had only 410. This is welcome news not only to the people of Oklahoma, but also policymakers around the country who can learn from this important development. By providing law enforcement of?cials better tools to target meth cooks and dealers, real progress can be achieved in a relatively short period of time.”
“Oklahoma’s recent success is also a key victory for law-abiding consumers across the nation,” Gutierrez continued in the release. “It is the latest evidence that we can ?ght the scourge of meth production without needlessly burdening honest consumers with higher healthcare costs and involuntary time off work. These developments are a victory for everyone involved in this critical public policy debate.