How Does Minnestota Meth Watch Work?

Meth Watch is a proven and replicable program that has impacted meth lab seizures, hampered small toxic lab meth production, and decreased pseudoephedrine product losses by retailers. While retail involvement is key, Meth Watch is a voluntary program that involves many people at the community and state level, including law enforcement, state and local public officials, the national guard, community activists, and drug prevention personnel.

Participating retailers place the precursor products where they can be easily monitored, and strategically post Meth Watch signs and tags on their doors and windows, around their cash registers and on the shelves where precursor products are located. They may impose purchase limits to prevent high volume sales. They train their employees to recognize, but not to confront, suspicious customers, and to contact law enforcement with as much identifying information as possible.

What’s in it for Minnesota retailers?

Retailers are a prime target for meth cooks who may steal or buy large quantities of precursor ingredients from their stores. Meth cooks and addicts can be dangerous and no retailer wants to be a potential source for a meth cook looking to manufacture this awful drug.

Retailers participating in the Meth Watch program report safer stores, better customer relations, increased employee awareness, and improved communications with law enforcement. Many stores have experienced a decrease in loss from theft that is directly related to their participation in Meth Watch. Meth Watch partners are helping to unite their communities against drug abuse.

Meth Watch in the News