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Senate Unanimously Approves Madigan Bill to Crack
Down on Methamphetamine
HARRISBURG -- The
State Senate today unanimously passed legislation sponsored by Senator Roger
Madigan (R-Bradford) that would significantly increase penalties for
manufacturing methamphetamines and give law enforcement agencies greater tools
to stop production of the deadly drug in rural areas.
Madigan’s measure, Senate Bill 679, now goes to the
House for consideration.
Passage of the bill comes two weeks after two
Bradford County Sheriff deputies were gunned down as they tried to serve a
warrant on a meth user who was producing the drug in a lab on his property,
“Their murders are the latest tragedies in a series
in a trail of suffering that this drug has caused,” Madigan said during remarks
before the Senate. “Methamphetamine has invaded our communities. It has put
our children at risk. It has led to the death of many people, including two
dedicated officers. We owe it to them, and the many victims of this deadly drug
to redouble our efforts to stop this deadly scourge.”
He noted that methamphetamine production is a
problem in all areas of Pennsylvania, but particularly in rural areas, including
the Northern Tier, which has often been called the meth capitol of the nation.
Representatives of the Pennsylvania State Police and
Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Association strongly support Madigan’s bill, saying it is
crucial to cracking down on the drug community and helping law enforcement
officials address a growing drug crisis in rural Pennsylvania.
Madigan’s bill would make it a crime to possess the
ingredients used to make the highly addictive stimulant drug. This includes
anhydrous ammonia, a chemical commonly used as a fertilizer by farms.
The bill would make it illegal to possess or
transport anhydrous ammonia for any purpose other than agricultural or
industrial use. It would also set stiff penalties for possessing large
quantities of other methamphetamine ingredients, including the dietary
supplement ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, a common decongestant t found in cold
medicine.
The bill, which is similar to legislation approved
in New York, also calls for state police to keep a “repository” of clandestine
drug labs around the state.
“Many of the ingredients used to make meth are no
available at pharmacies and grocery stores, so it is becoming more and more
available for young people,” Madigan said. “This bill is intended to save lives
and make it easier for law enforcement officials to crack down on those who
manufacture this deadly drug.”
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Text of
Floor Remarks
Audio
Video
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