03/12/13 On Wednesday March 13th Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter will be testifying before the Indiana House Courts and Criminal Code Committee in reference to the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Ephedrine and/or pseudoephedrine are the main and constant ingredients in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine (AKA: meth) is an extremely addictive stimulant that is often manufactured in homes, garages, vehicles and out-buildings. The other ingredients in the manufacturing process are often very acidic, flammable and combustible including drain cleaner, Coleman fuel, starting fluid (ether) and lithium batteries.
The bill pending in the House and approved by the state Senate last month would allow a consumer to buy up to 61 grams a year of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Current law limits purchases to 7.2 grams a month (or 86.4 grams per year.) Originally, there was a bill to make pseudoephedrine or ephedrine a doctor prescribed drug but that bill did make it out of committee.
“Unfortunately, Marshall County and Plymouth have both been hit very hard by meth in the last ten years. It is a culture that we have to change. The reality is meth is here to stay, as is cocaine and marijuana. But, we must do all that we can to eliminate the homemade labs that are affecting our neighborhoods and, most importantly, our children.”
Prior to becoming mayor, Senter was a 28-year member of the Indiana State Police where he served on the ISP Clandestine Lab Team for five years.
Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer also will be testifying on Wednesday.
