A coalition of groups is joining together to try and cut back the amount of methamphetamine that’s made in the state. State and local law officers are joining with health officials and retailers to launch the “Meth Watch” program. Program director Travis Acheson says the program will train retailers to spot suspicious purchases of the materials used to make meth. Atcheson says the stores will get a training kit for employees and special stickers announcing the program.He says they want the sticker to go up throughout the store to let people know who come in to purchase products used to make meth, that the store is watching them. Atcheson says the employees will have special report forms they can use to record any information on the individuals and then send them to the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. Ken Carter is the director of the Narcotics Division, and says over-the-counter cold medications are one focus. He says they’re looking particularily at pseudoephedrine, as regardless of how you manufacture meth, you need pseudoephedrine. Carter says 90-percent of the meth comes from outside the state, but he says the number of local labs continues to increase. He says they found 960 meth labs as of October 31st, which is 51 ahead of last year. The president of the Iowa Grocers Association, Jerry Fleagle), says they’ve already signed up many of the major retailers, and they hope to get eveyone involved. He says the goal is to have every store in the state participate. The program was rolled out today at a local grocery store in Norwalk
