Heineman Announces New Law Making Strides Against Meth Labs (Nebraska)

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Heineman Announces New Law Making Strides Against Meth Labs (with audio)

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(Lincoln, Neb.) Following up on comments included in his State of the State address about early returns from LB 117, Gov. Dave Heineman provided additional evidence that Nebraska’s anti-methamphetamine law is contributing to dramatic decreases in the number of domestic meth labs uncovered by law enforcement agencies in Nebraska.

“By taking the time to visit a pharmacy or grocery store counter, ordinary Nebraskans are making a difference in the war on drugs,” Gov. Heineman said. “While LB 117 cannot claim all of the credit for the declining number of discovered meth labs, we cannot ignore the effect of our state’s collective sacrifices in the fight against meth.”

LB 117 was jointly proposed during the 2005 legislative session by the Governor, Attorney General Jon Bruning and Sen. Pat Bourne of Omaha, chairman of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

All three praised the data collected in the first four months of LB 117’s implementation, which shows a decline of more than 70 percent in the number of meth labs discovered by Nebraska law enforcement agencies. The law took effect on Sept. 4, 2005. The data shows that 29 meth labs were reported as discovered from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31.

Attorney General Bruning said, “I’m encouraged by the results LB 117 is having in our communities statewide. Nebraskans are safer than they were a year ago thanks to this legislation.”

Statistics from previous years show that 103 labs were discovered over the same time period in 2004, 85 in 2003, and 123 in 2002.

LB 117 also contributed to a 10 percent decline in the total number of meth labs discovered in 2005 when compared to the number of labs reported in 2004. The state recorded 247 reports of domestic meth lab discoveries last year, down from 277 in 2004, 267 in 2003, and 368 in 2002, according to the Nebraska State Patrol and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s El Paso Intelligence Center Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System.

Sen. Bourne said, “The success of LB 117 shows that when different branches of government work together to get things done, all Nebraskans benefit.”

Col. Bryan Tuma, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol, said, “LB 117 is making a difference. By cutting down on the number of meth labs, we are allowing law enforcement to concentrate on the dealers who bring this insidious drug into our state.”

Common in cold and allergy medication, pseudoephedrine is also a key ingredient used to manufacture meth. LB 117 requires pseudoephedrine-based products to be placed behind store counters. It limits the amount a person can buy in a given day and requires a valid ID card to purchase. It also strengthened the criminal penalties for meth dealers.