WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley, Chairman on the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, praised the Iowa "Meth Watch" program that was kicked off in Norwalk today. The program will provide tool kits to retailers in Iowa that sell any of the necessary precursors to make methamphetamine.
The program is designed to limit the accessibility of products used to make methamphetamine and provide an efficient and effective way to provide information to local law enforcement officials in Iowa. Grassley hopes that Iowa Meth Watch program will become a national model for other states to adopt
"Meth Watch can play an important role in increasing public awareness of Meth and lead to reduced production in Iowa," Grassley said. "We cannot fight the growing problem of Meth separately. That's why it's so important that the Iowa Department of Public Health work with community leaders, local law enforcement officials, retailers and citizens to address this expanding threat."
From his position on the Senate Drug Caucus, Grassley has worked on legislation that would make it more difficult for methamphetamine producers to obtain large quantities of the precursor chemical pseudoephedrine. Grassley also co-sponsored the "Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act," which would prohibit an individual from profiting from any place used for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, or using any controlled substance. This bill also subjects violators to a civil penalty of the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross receipts derived from each violation.
In the late 1990s, Grassley launched an extensive first-of-its kind statewide initiative to address Iowa’s drug problem at the grassroots. Called "Face It Together," or FIT, the effort was designed to help Iowans work together to keep their schools, workplaces and communities drug-free.