Two new pieces of legislation are seeking to curb Delaware’s methamphetamine addiction.
“The laws that are being enacted today are going to make it harder for criminals to gain access to the materials that they need to make meth and they’re going to give law enforcement the tools that they need to crack down on its production,” said Governor Jack Markell.
The first law includes Delaware in a multi-state database that tracks how much pseudoephedrine a person buys in real time. Pseudoephedrine is a medication typically found in nasal decongestants and is a key ingredient used to synthesize meth.
Delaware, which faces an increasing problem with methamphetamine -- Meth-related arrests rose nearly 75 percent between 2011-2012 -- will become the 28th state to join the database.
State Homeland Security Secretary Louis Schiliro says there has also been a jump in the number of people manufacturing the drug.
“With this increase, police are also encountering a growing number of clandestine labs used to make meth,” said Schiliro. “In 2011, police only uncovered one meth lab. In 2012, that number increased to 15 and unfortunately, this year so far, there’s been 11.”
Under the new law, people convicted of operating a clandestine lab will also be responsible for environmental cleanup costs at the site.