GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 1703

Short Title:     Study Inhibitors in Meth Production.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Love; and Tarleton.
Referred to:	Judiciary II.

April 19, 2007

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to direct the department of justice in consultation with the department of agriculture and consumer services to study the use of inhibitors in methamphetamine production.

Whereas, the manufacture of methamphetamine causes significant adverse impacts on the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens by reason of the toxic and volatile compounds used in manufacture or produced as by-products of manufacture of the drug; and

Whereas, the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens are adversely impacted by the many crimes associated with the manufacture, sale, and use of methamphetamine including theft, burglary, child abuse and neglect, assault, and driving under the influence of a controlled substance; and

Whereas, the General Assembly enacted legislation to remove pseudophedrine, a key component in making methamphetamine, from open shelf stocking; and

Whereas, anhydrous ammonia, a fertilizer, is another key ingredient in making the highly addictive drug methamphetamine; and

Whereas, studies conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation have shown that adding calcium nitrate, another common fertilizer compound, to anhydrous ammonia renders it useless in the production of methamphetamine; and

Whereas, some states such as Iowa have conducted research regarding methamphetamine inhibitors, chemicals that may be added in prescribed amounts to products such as fertilizer that do not diminish the effectiveness of the fertilizer as a nutrient but that greatly inhibit the use of key components found in fertilizer for the manufacture of methamphetamine; and

Whereas, states such as Iowa have established programs that encourage the use of such "meth inhibitors" on a voluntary basis and that assist agricultural retailers who want to participate in the program by implementing these meth‑fighting strategies; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The Department of Justice in consultation with the Department of Agriculture shall study the possibility of establishing voluntary methamphetamine inhibitor programs in North Carolina.  As part of the study, the Department shall consider the research that is being done on this issue nationwide and the effectiveness and cost of programs that have been set up by other states and at the federal level regarding the use of methamphetamine inhibitors.  The Department of Justice shall report its findings and recommendations to the Joint Legislative Corrections, Crime Control, and Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee and to the Fiscal Research Division by March 1, 2008.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.