Oklahoma doles out some of the heaviest penalties in the nation for convictions of drug crimes. Those harsh penalties have done nothing to curb drug abuseand addiction in Oklahoma, but the state does have a few other weapons in its arsenal to help fight the "war on drugs." One such tool is the MethamphetamineOffender Registry, which is intended to prevent people with prior drug convictions from obtaining or possessing the materials and medications--pseudoephedrine,in particular--needed to manufacture meth.
Under to 63 O.S. � 2-701, the Oklahoma Methamphetamine Offenders Registry Act,a person must register as a meth offender if he or she has been convicted of (or received a deferred sentence for) any of the following meth-relateddrug crimes:
A person must register if the above drug crimes involve methamphetamine or its precursors, including the illegal use or possession of pseudoephedrine.
It is against the law for anyone required to register as a meth offender to possess pseudoephedrine, including over-the-counter cold and sinus medicationscontaining pseudoephedrine--even if he or she has a doctor's prescription for the substance. Pharmacists and other dispensers of over-the-countermedications are required to check the OBN database of meth offenders before selling pseudoephedrine or medications containing pseudoephedrine.
Possesssion of pseudoephedrine in violation of the Oklahoma Methamphetamine Offenders Registry Act is punishable by 2 to 10 years in prison and a fineof up to $5,000. Helping a person subject to the registry to obtain pseudoephedrine is a misdemeanor on the first offense, but a felony punishableby a maximum of two years in prison on a second or subsequent offense.
