National Meth News and Headlines

• Mar
  13

  Pseudoephedrine By Prescription?

  

  The illegal production and abuse of methamphetamines is still a major concern throughout most of the United States. There are so many serious and dangerous consequences associated with meth that more needs to be done in order to stop the illegal manufacturing, trafficking and abuse of methamphetamine.

  As long as the active ingredient pseudoephedrine is able to find its way into the hands of illegal drug dealers and the groups or individuals that produce methamphetamines the following consequences are sure to increase.

  1. Mexican and Columbian Drug Lords will continue to get rich on meth addicts addictions.
  2. Illegal Clandestine Meth Labs will grow in numbers.
  3. The amount of young children experimenting with Meth will continue to grow until they're hooked.
  4. Meth addictions will increase.
  5. Meth overdoses will increase.
  6. Meth accidental overdose deaths will increase.
  7. Chronic Meth users will die.
  8. Meth Lab explosions will increase.
  9. Meth Lab fires will increase.
  10. Meth Lab environmental concerns and dangers will increase.
  11. Children living in meth lab environments will increasingly suffer chemical burns, toxin related illnesses and sometimes death.

  Tracking and logging each sale of pseudoephedrine products just isn't working. There are too many ways drug dealers can still get pseudoephedrine; they're still getting pseudoephedrine in large quantities also. Smurfing is the term given to those who go from pharmacy to pharmacy purchasing products that contain pseudoephedrine and then selling the cold and allergy medications to drug dealers and those who illegally cook meth. Smurfing has been responsible for most of the meth production that's taken place since pharmacy restrictions took place.

  Oregon and Mississippi took the steps to make pseudoephedrine a prescription drug and there have been dramatic decreases all the way around concerning the production and sale of methamphetamines.

  According to Governor Nixon in Missouri, in Oregon before pseudoephedrine required a prescription there were 424 meth incidents in 2004. This was 2 years prior to making the sale of pseudoephedrine by prescription in Oregon. In 2010 there were around 5 meth incidents. Meth labs in Oregon that get pseudoephedrine get the active ingredient from other states now. Mississippi in July of 2010 made pseudoephedrine a prescription only drug and there has been around a 65% decrease in meth incidents since the prescription law took effect.

  Right now pseudoephedrine has to be sold behind the counter in the pharmacy department. Anyone purchasing pseudoephedrine is limited to 120 standard tablets in a 24 hour period of time. They're able to purchase 300 standard tablets in a 30 day period of time.

  There are many people that oppose the pseudoephedrine by prescription idea because they feel it's an inconvenience getting prescriptions for allergy and cold medications from their physician. Some of the medications that contain pseudoephedrine are Sudafed, Advil Cold and Sinus, Claritin and Zyrtec. Governor Nixon wants to pseudoephedrine the same as heroin, a Schedule One Drug.

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  Posted on March 13th, 2011

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