Assembly OKs Bill to Move Up Date on Drug Law

The state Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a bill to move up the effective date of a 1986 law tightening regulations on the purchase and sale of four chemicals used in making the drug methamphetamine, commonly known as “speed” and “crystal.”

The bill is expected to go before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. If successful there and the full Senate concurs, the 1986 law would go into effect April 1 rather than Oct. 1.

Under the law, transactions involving chemicals that could be used to produce illegal substances will be delayed 21 days to allow police to investigate. The purchaser must show identification, and the seller must have a permit issued to him by the State Department of Justice.

The 1986 bill originally set January, 1987, as the effective date for regulation of a variety of chemicals. However, a stipulation was added that the four chemicals used in methamphetamines would not be formally included until October, 1987. This reflected concern for small businesses that may need the chemicals to produce such prescription drugs as antihistamines, said Assemblywoman Lucy Killea (D-San Diego), who is heading the legislative effort.

The measure “is very important because the latest figures show more than half of the labs operating illegally to produce methamphetamine use these chemicals,” Killea said. “I presented this bill as an urgency item because the problem is urgent. San Diego alone had 50% of the illegal labs uncovered in 1986.”

Killea said she expects the bill to garner the two-thirds vote necessary for it to pass the Senate. She said the the measure is expected to be presented to Gov. George Deukmejian by March 1.