Many local pharmacies are in favor of legislation requiring a prescription for medicines containing pseudoephedrine, an important ingredient in the creation of crystal meth.
A bill has been sent from the Senate to Gov. Haley Barbour that would require a doctor’s prescription for medicines currently sold over the counter, including Sudafed and Advil Cold and Sinus, which contain the decongestant pseudoephedrine. If the bill is signed, the legislation will become effective in July 2010.
Mississippi would be the second state behind Oregon to implement this measure.
Local pharmacies including Walgreens, Chaney’s and Kroger Pharmacy said this bill would be a step in the right direction toward tackling the misuse of the drug.
“It will help the situation tremendously,” Dr. Brent Smith, pharmacist and owner of Chaney’s Pharmacy, said.
Kroger Pharmacy technician McQuen Tubbs agreed and said he believes the new method would help curve the illegal trafficking they see.
Although there is a method in place for keeping track of pseudoephedrine sales, most believe that making the medicines prescription-only would be more effective.
“The system as it is doesn’t work, so I think this will help,” Ole Miss pharmacy student Mallory Robbins said.
The current system requires that certain information be filled out with each purchase of medicine containing pseudoephedrine, including the customer’s address, date of birth, date and time of purchase and signature. Valid photo identification must be shown as well.
However, Robbins said the current system does not prevent against “pharmacy hopping,” a method many drug abusers use to acquire a large amount of the ingredient while staying under the radar of law enforcement.
She said an online database linking all regional pharmacies would be a better solution.
Kroger Pharmacy has an online system linking all Kroger stores, but none connecting them to other local pharmacies.
The new system may also simplify procedures for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
“It will take a lot of stress and hassle off of local pharmacy clerks,” Stephen Sandridge, Chaney’s Pharmacy employee, said.
However, some local consumers are frustrated with the possible requirements.
Ole Miss junior Virginia Drago was surprised to hear about the new legislation.
“I’ve always used medicines like Advil Cold and Sinus as my go-to medicines when I have a cold,” she said. “If I had to get a prescription for it I probably would buy something else instead.”
Drago added that requiring a prescription for nasal decongestants is an inconvenience for those who do not abuse the drug.
But there are ways for cold sufferers to get nasal relief without the use of pseudoephedrine.
“I think it will be a good thing, especially because there are medicines comparable to it that will still be over-the-counter,” Robbins said.