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"Meth use is rising throughout
Illinois, putting our young people and our communities at risk. This
new law will make it harder for meth manufacturers to get the
ingredients they need to make the drug and, ultimately, may cut down
on the number of dangerous meth labs that have sprung up around the
state," Blagojevich said. "I want to thank Attorney General Madigan
for her leadership in battling the devastating consequences of the
meth trade and also Sen. Haine and Rep. Bradley for working to win
legislative approval on this important new law."
"This new law is one of the most
significant crime-fighting tools our state has seen in the recent
past," Attorney General Lisa Madigan said. "It reached Governor
Blagojevich's desk because law enforcement, lawmakers and retailers
all understand that we are facing a methamphetamine epidemic that
threatens to overwhelm our communities. Methamphetamine is not just
a problem; it's a plague. We must fight its production and use every
resource available. This law takes an important new step in cutting
off the source of meth makers' ingredients for their deadly recipe."
Senate Bill 2244, sponsored by Sen.
William R. Haine, D-Alton, and Rep. John E. Bradley, D-Marion,
creates standards for how drugs containing ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine -- most often cold medicine -- can be packaged and
sold. Stores cannot sell more than two packages of cold medicine at
a time, and the packages can contain no more than 3 grams of a
targeted methamphetamine manufacturing chemical.
Additionally, the legislation requires
that stores keep some packages of cold medicines behind the counter,
either locked or monitored by the retailer. The tighter requirement
will help prevent the theft of meth-making ingredients. Also,
retailers may not distribute the packages if they have reason to
think the medicine will be used to manufacture methamphetamine, and
store employees where these medicines are sold will undergo special
training.
The new law establishes penalties for
violations of the act. First offenses will be Class A misdemeanors,
and second offenses will be Class 4 felonies. In addition business
owners can be fined $100-$5,000.
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The governor also announced the launch
of the "Project X" back-to-school campaign. Project X is an ongoing
cooperative effort between the Illinois State Police and the
Department of Human Services to raise awareness among youth and
parents about the dangers of meth and "club drugs."
The campaign will alert college-age
youth to the dangers of club drugs and provide information on
counseling, prevention resources and treatment programs. The
campaign will feature television and radio public service
announcements in university and college communities around the
state.
Last year more than 5,000 people sought
treatment for club drug-related problems at treatment facilities
funded by the Department of Human Services. The drug is particularly
popular among young people. During 2002, 11.9 percent of college
students and 14.8 percent of young adults (ages 19-28) reported
using meth at least once during their lifetimes.
The Illinois State Police have recorded
significant increases in recent years in the number of meth lab
busts and the amount of illegal meth seized. The agency encountered
971 meth labs in Illinois in 2003, up from 403 in 2000; and the
quantity of meth seized by the Illinois State Police increased
dramatically between 1994 and 2003, jumping from 3,433 grams to
26,582 grams -- a 674 percent increase.
"None of our
children are safe until all of our children are safe, and through
Project X we intend to save the lives of our young people by
providing them with information and resources," Gov. Blagojevich
said. "Through this innovative treatment and enforcement program we
hope to continue to strengthen the backbone of our state, which are
its families."
[News release
from the governor's office]
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