A judge has disagreed with a challenge to Tennessee's methamphetamine law. But he said at a hearing in Jasper that attorneys for dozens of people charged with promoting manufacture of the illegal drug can make their complaints about the law July 20.

The law restricts quantity purchases of cold and allergy tablets that contain a key ingredient in making meth, pseudoephedrine, as well as other common products such as coffee filters or matches if they are knowingly purchased to make the drug.

Circuit Judge Thomas Graham said that provision of the law is not vague and does not violate the due process right of innocent consumers. He said there is a violation of the law if someone buying those products "knew, or should have known" it is going to end up in meth use.

After a two-hour hearing, he invited attorneys to return July 20.

Marion County public defender Phil Condra told Graham during the hearing that the vagueness of the March 2005 law puts innocent consumers in jeopardy because it allows law officers too much discretion in making arrests.
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Coffee filters and matches? Good grief...heaven forbid if someone were to have a party and need several packages of coffee filters. With just the right person at the checkout.....
You could be arrested before you got home.

Tina

quote:

The law restricts quantity purchases of cold and allergy tablets that contain a key ingredient in making meth, pseudoephedrine, as well as other common products such as coffee filters or matches if they are knowingly purchased to make the drug.

My question is how do they know if somebody is buying these products to make Meth? Is the law that if you are purchasing matches, coffee filters, and pseudoephedrine in combination you are breaking the law? The law isn't very clear!

quote:

He said there is a violation of the law if someone buying those products "knew, or should have known" it is going to end up in meth use.

That statement right there is where they can get ya. The "or should have known" leaves it way to open for the DEA to interpet it any way they want.


Tina

Meth is the devil.

But prohibition is worse.

Prohibition makes substances that are already dangerous to begin with even more dangerous.

Strange how the gov't actually made a conscious decision to place all commerce relating to dangerous and addictive substances into the hands of criminals.

And it's tax-free!

Brilliant!

quote:

Originally posted by TheScrutinizer:
The cops don't care. All they care is that they have another excuse to slap the cuffs on you and get their jollies.

I don't agree with that. I think for the most part that our police officers do care.

Also, I don't think this is saying that you can be arrested just for buying a bunch of coffee filters and matches. I think it would take a little more than that. At one of my old jobs, I saw security watching customers on camera that they thought may be seeking out the components needed to make Meth many MANY times. A few times they called the police. The police would basically just sit in the office and watch them on camera...only a couple times they went out to question the customers. Nothing much happened other than that. At least not in the store..But one time a police officer did say that the person they were watching had been in trouble before and was suspected of making Meth. Don't know what ever happened with that person though??
I think there are more components too like some kind of batteries?? Not really sure as it was a while ago, but a police officer told me in pretty good detail what was needed to start the process.
This is BAD BAD stuff to be out on the streets and especially when available to kids.

I live in Tn., and they have moved the cold medicine behind the counter, and if you buy so much (not what normal people with colds buy, like 20 boxes)Not sure exact amount then you have to sign something and show id, and there is a limit.
Then if your name keeps coming up then you get investigated.
I mean there is buying party supplies, and then there is buying cases of this stuff to make that shi%, that ruins lives, especially the poor kids lives, that crawl around in that ****. or get blown up from a lab.
I think they have to start somewhere, because where I live it is so bad, and DHS has taken away so many kids that are living near those fumes, and burning up everyday!!!
I'm proud Govener Bredeson is cleaning up Tn.
I understand the other points, but that is some terrible chemical people are putting in there body, and not worth it, and if saves just one, then I think that it is worth it.
I'll be running for office this election year..
no, just joking.
Caring Codi

I guess we should all applaude the DEA for keeping us safe too.

As far as Bredeson goes, I won't even get started on him.

Tina

quote:

Originally posted by mcshaun:
I don't agree with that. I think for the most part that our police officers do care.

Anyone who can bring themselves to jail another person for owning a piece of a marijuana plant doesn't care too much in my book.

Don't tell me, "Well it's against the law." I won't be impressed.

Remember if you will...

It used to be against the law for blacks to sit in the front of the bus.

It used to be against the law to hide Jews in your attic.

During the Roman empire, if you were convicted of being a Christian, they would feed you to the lions.

I don't think the cops cared to much back then and I don't think much has changed. If they did there would be more conscientous objectors on the police forces in the world.

Bad laws have clearly been on the books in the past.

Does anyone believe that we've actually come to a place where no more bad laws exist?

I was stating my OPINION on your post that stated your OPINION.
It's against the law would not be my first response, but since I am not out to impress anyone by stating my thoughts... what you posted is against the law.

I'm not saying that I don't think there are no crooked cops..I'm sure there are plenty. I'm sure there are police officers that don't care. But this is because they are people...there are people that don't care. But I like to think that the majority do care. I have always had family and close friends in law enforcement of some kind...from my Aunt being a Parole Officer, to Uncles that are Lawyers to a close friend now that is a Federal Agent. I have seen a lot of their co-workers through the years and talked with them at family outings, etc.. I really do not remember one that was a bad apple. But that is just me, and that is why I stated my opinion.
I just know that I have a lot of respect for our men and women that risk their lives for us everyday...most not even making good money for what they do.

It's good to have a difference of

opinion, but please do not argue about who is

right and who is wrong. Your both right to a

degree. Now I hope neither of you hate me for my

post, but I had to say something just in case it

get's out of control.

How could anyone hate you..lol.
Nope, I'm not trying to argue..not at all. That's why I said these are just my opinions, like he and everyone else has an opinion.
As far as debating further..theres no reason, I don't have anything else to say. Just wanted to post more detail I guess to show why I replied with the statement I did in my first reply...

Thank You Shawn!

QUESTION AUTHORITY, IT IS NOT JUST YOUR RIGHT~IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

MY GREAT ANCESTOR JOHN (BLANK) WAS A SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, THE SIGNERS WERE NOT CONSIDERED HERO'S~MY GREAT ANCESTOR HAD TO LIVE IN A CAVE TO SURVIVE!

JUST ANOTHER OPINION.

Dave

I didn't mean to start anything between anyone here.....I just wanted to post Tennessee's methamphetamine law as I thought the wording was vague also.

I guess I was thinking about how a pi**ed off co-worker, neighbor or anyone could make a false claim that someone purchased too much coffee filters, matches and/or cold and allergy tablets.

Especially if the accused person "looks" guilty. Oh..you all know the type.....long hair, beard, torn jeans....looks like they are a beer swillin' harley ridin' he** raiser.

There is plenty of discrimination towards a person who looks like the above description.....I've seen it. These are the kind of people that will get picked up because they "knew, or should have known" ....

Frankly, the idea I could be arrested because I "should have known" scares me. Until I read this article, I had no idea this stuff was used in making meth.

Tina

No worries...you didn't cause anything by your posting on the subject..
We all have different opinions, thats all..