The state of Tennessee has established a searchable online database listing the name, alias, and date of birth of anyone convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine, Newsweek reports in its Jan. 30 issue.

Law-enforcement officials say the registry -- believed to be the first of its kind in the U.S. -- will help landlords screen prospective tenants and weed out those who might turn their home or other property into a meth lab. They also hope the list will have a deterrent effect on meth users.

"Meth is unique in the way it's a public threat," said Jennifer Johnson, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which populated the database with the names of everyone convicted in Tennessee of meth production since last March. Officials say the names will stay on the list for seven years, at which point offenders can petition to have their name removed.

Some critics worry, however, that the list will present a barrier to meth offenders who have served their criminal sentences and are looking to reintegrate into society.