Fact Sheet: Governor Perdue Takes Aggressive Stand Against Methamphetamine Production in Georgia

In the past several years, the incidents of manufacturing, possessing, selling and transporting methamphetamine ("meth") have increased in volume and geographic territory. "Meth cooking" and "meth labs" (producing methamphetamine) was, at one time, isolated to rural areas. Recently, however, methamphetamine labs have become common in urban areas as well. The production of methamphetamine is a very dangerous activity; the substances used in production are highly flammable and can be deadly if inhaled. In recent years, several GBI agents have incurred serious, long term injuries as a result of walking into a methamphetamine lab without protective gear or coming into contact with substances used to produce methamphetamine that are being transported in unsafe containers.

In response to this growing problem, Governor Perdue, in coordination with GBI, introduced legislation during the 2003 session to criminalize activity related to methamphetamine. Senate Bill 205 unanimously passed the Senate and passed the House Special Judiciary Committee. The key provisions of SB 205 include:

• Making it a felony offense to steal anhydrous ammonia (a substance commonly used in the production of methamphetamine);

• Creating the felony offense of possessing anhydrous ammonia with knowledge that it will be used unlawfully to manufacture a controlled substance;

• Prohibiting the possession and transport of anhydrous ammonia in an unapproved container;

• Making it a felony offense to possess any product that contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine in an amount that exceeds 300 pills, tablets, capsules or other individual units or more than 9 grams of these substances, whichever is smaller;

• Creating the felony offense of possessing any amount of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine with the intent of producing methamphetamine;

• Creating a felony offense to possess, manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, purchase, sell or possess with intent to distribute any substance containing any amounts of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine which have been altered from their original form to a powdered, liquefied or crushed form;

• Providing stiffer penalties for trafficking methamphetamine.

Governor Perdue is hopeful that the House of Representatives will join him in the fight against methamphetamine by passing this much needed bipartisan legislation that will help protect our communities.