The Nebraska legislature, like Iowa’s, still has a ways to go before adjourning, but this week moved forward a bill that aims to take the same direction Iowa did this session. It would make retailers lock up legal, over-the-counter medications that can be used to make illegal methamphetamine, and Omaha senator Pat Bourne explained to colleagues why it’s being considered. Bourne says Iowa has passed “the most restrictive bill in the country” with its limits on the number of pseudoephedrine-containing pills that can be sold, requirements to put cold pills behind the counter and make buyers sign a log book. He says if Nebraska doesn’t follow suit, “they’re gonna come here to cook the meth.” The Nebraska state senator said lawmakers have to look at the laws on all their border states, but this is the one he said will set a standard: “Iowa is pretty much at the top of the heap in terms of how they’re addressing the problem,” he says. The law advanced on a preliminary vote this week would add penalties for making or selling methamphetamine and make buyers show ID and sign a log-book. It also says even non-prescription medications containing the active ingredient must be kept in a pharmacy and sold only by a pharmcaist, or pharmacy intern. Nebraska governor Dave Neineman has said he supports the bill, which has several amendments pending to fine-tune it before final passage.
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