A report released today says Iowa’s nearly two-year old law restricting access to medicines containing a key ingredient in meth continues to make communities safer. New state Drug Czar, Gary Kendell, says the tighter control over pseudoephedrine has helped, but more can be done.

Kendell says one of the priorities is to try and get an electronic monitoring program approved so there’s a central registry to track the sale of drugs containing pseudoephedrine. Kendell says meth makers can still get around the law without the tracking system. He says the meth makers go from pharmacy to pharmacy to buy their limit of the pseudoephedrine containing drugs as each pharmacy, and there’s no way to tell that to block the sales.

Kendell,the Director of the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy , says the cutback in meth labs in the state has freed up some resources to help prevent the importation of meth. He says those efforts must continue. He says 85 percent of the meth is being brought in from elsewhere and there needs to be continued support of law enforcement to stop the flow of meth from out-of-state. Kendell says drug treatment is also a key part of the picture.

Kendell says if they can work toward reducing the demand for the drug, then the supply will naturally decrease. He says all aspects from treatment to enforcement are equally important in the effort. The report, which is going to the Iowa Legislature, was released today at a Regional Meth Conference in Des Moines.