What is Meth?
How Meth Watch Works
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For Retailers
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For 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.

A common question asked by retailers is "How will my store benefit from participating in the Meth Watch Program?" The benefits to the store include a combination of social, economic, and safety factors as follows:

Social: Most citizens are very concerned about the availability of drugs in their neighborhoods. Helping law enforcement fight the war on drugs provides community awareness for the store owner and the customers.

Economic: The goal of Meth Watch is to limit the sale or theft of precursors for improper use. Precursors can be easily identified by shelf tags under the products which will deter cooks from approaching the products due to increased awareness of the illegal use of the products. The precursors not limited due to sales restrictions or product management will still be identified making employees and customers another pair of eyes for your store. Increased awareness by store employees, shoppers, and the meth "cooks" in the stores will hopefully reduce the theft of precursors. Theft of ephedrine related drugs in Texas is controllable.

Safety: The Retail Team believes that customers will feel safer in your store if you take a proactive approach to preventing improper purchases or theft of the precursor items. Often meth "cooks" are on a drug induced high and possibly feeling paranoid, or worse yet are over aggressive making employee and customer safety an issue. Meth Watch hopes to capitalize on the paranoia and make the "cook" want to go elsewhere for the purchase or theft. Strong interaction with the local law enforcement also helps provide that sense of safety if you work with them to report suspicious activity. Meth Watch strongly supports the exchange of information with law enforcement officials.

Increased employee awareness of our state's meth problem will provide your establishment the resources to be a responsible steward and assist in the fight against crime and drugs. Your store will benefit from a more aggressive stance on clandestine drug labs in the state in addition to the goodwill your involvement will produce in the community.