And Dangerous Drugs Control s6

PRESS RELEASE

OKLAHOMA BUREAU OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUGS CONTROL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 10, 2009 CONTACT: OBNDD SPOKESMAN MARK WOODWARD, (405) 521-2885 OR (800) 522- 8031

NARCOTICS BUREAU NAMES “LEGISLATORS OF THE YEAR”

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) has presented State Senator Anthony Sykes and Representative Randy Terrill with the agency’s “Legislators of the Year” awards. While speaking about current Oklahoma drug trends to a gathering in Duncan on Thursday evening, OBN Director R. Darrell Weaver took the opportunity to honor Senator Sykes and Representative Terrill for sponsoring key OBN legislation the past two sessions.

"Senator Sykes and Representative Terrill’s fingerprints leave a trail of support for drug enforcement efforts in our state which we deeply appreciate. They have the vision and resolve to fight hard for legislation that will make our state better and safer." ---R. Darrell Weaver, OBN Director

During the 2008 and 2009 legislative sessions, Senator Sykes and Representative Terrill authored OBN request bills targeting some of the biggest threats facing Oklahoma communities and families, including prescription addiction, methamphetamine manufacturing and Mexican drug trafficking. One of the measures helped secure funding for OBN’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP). The PMP system is used daily by medical professionals around Oklahoma to intervene and assist with prescription drug addiction. The PMP system was the first of its kind in 1990 and used as the blueprint for existing systems in thirty-six (36) other states. Senator Sykes and Representative Terrill also co-authored measures which tighten restrictions for purchasing pseudoephedrine by methamphetamine manufacturers. These measures also create avenues for law enforcement to investigate individuals using wire transfer centers to distribute drug proceeds. (Pictures attached below)

Director Weaver reads from the award.

Representative Terrill, Director Weaver and Senator Sykes poses for a photo after the awards presentation