Stop the ‘smurfs’
March 30, 2018, Caitlin Brittelli, Bangor Daily News
There’s no hiding the fact that Maine has long struggled with drug issues. While the opioid epidemic gets much of the attention, the issue of meth production has been particularly menacing over the past decade. Our legislators and law enforcement officials have worked tirelessly to curb the production of this terrible drug, and now the state’s retailers and pharmacists are joining the fight against “smurfing.”
Our law enforcement officers have recently seen success in their efforts, reporting a 50 percent reduction in meth lab seizures from 2016 to 2017. Their success can be largely attributed to limits on how much pseudoephedrine, an ingredient in common cold and allergy medicines, individuals can buy.
Read more here.