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Cold Medicine Crackdown
Friday, 11 December 2009 23:31
Kentucky law enforcement officials are looking at a proposal that would require patients to have a prescription for cold medicine.

“We've tried everything,” said Dave Keller, of the Kentucky Narcotic Officers’ Association. “There's no place else to go but scheduling.”
           
Pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicines like Sudafed, is used in manufacturing methamphetamine. Keller says requiring a prescription would help curb meth lab numbers in Kentucky, which are at an all-time high. Back in 2005, legislators passed a law to put drugs like Sudafed behind the counter, and limit patient intake. Now, individuals can only get nine grams of pseudoephedrine over a 30-day period. Later, they passed a law to use an online tracking system called MethCheck to keep track of users.

Pharmacist Claire Love says a prescription will effect how patients treat cold symptoms.

“First of all, do they need it right now? They may not have access to a doctor right now. Secondly, do they have insurance or not? If they don't have insurance, they're not going to go to the doctor,” Love said.

The Kentucky General Assembly will discuss the proposal in January.

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Comments (6)

Guest PCL says:
2009-Dec-24 05:30
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Leave law abiding citezens alone!
"Since passing their scheduling law, most people use what is on the shelf."

This would be a little more re-assuring if "what's on the shelf" were not either ineffective, more expensive or both. The least expensive, phenylephrine, has side effects that are dangerous of anyone who has to drive or operate machinery. Its purported status as a legitimate substitute borders on fraud. There are plenty of safe, legitimate products that can be used to make drugs and more (like nutmeg, paint, glue and transmission fluid) which can be used directly as intoxicants. How many inferior products will the public be asked to tolerate just to save the dregs of society from themselves?
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Guest stanley says:
2009-Dec-14 06:46
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meth lab deaths
Meth labs are at an all time high. A 22 month old died in a meth lab in Wayne Co. this year. There are other alternative on the shelf to help with sniffles. You do not have to go to the doctor, just use an alternative like the citizens of Oregon do. Since passing their scheduling law, most people use what is on the shelf. How many people have to die?
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Guest angela says:
2009-Dec-13 07:19
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cold medicine crackdown
Police need to enforce the laws on the books and crack down on stores that pay no attention to it. Many people are without insurance now so a Drs.' visit isn't feasible,should those who don't break the law be make to suffer for those who do? Bad idea all around
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Guest Brian says:
2009-Dec-12 21:23
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Maybe new thinking is necessary?
As a gent pointed out on TV yesterday, they haven't been able to control prescription drugs very well, so what is their proof that this is going to help do more than further inconvenience people who need these medicines for the intended purpose? As it is, if I go in the middle of the night, it's mighty hard to purchase these products. We generally have to suffer through until morning. Maybe we need some enforcement personnel to take some training in creative thinking and see if they can't come up with something that doesn't punish the 99.99% of us who use these products properly.
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Guest Cathy says:
2009-Dec-12 18:30
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wrong!
This is absolutely rediculious! I understood putting it behind the counter and making them sign it out. Although it's inconvient for the NON drug users, it's still understandable. But to make someone who does not do drugs pay a co-pay just to go to a doctor to get a medicine they could have gotten over the counter for is pure punishment for the good people of this world. Find a better way to track down these losers who use drugs instead of punishing the ones who don't!!!!
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Guest joe says:
2009-Dec-12 05:40
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meth labs in ky
i think its a great idea. the meth problem in ky is running wild and out of control. i feel thee people running these meth labs making this crab should be jailed for life. i don't care if the jails are overfilled,jail them and keep them in jail for life.the law should say,if you make meth,you are going to jail for life. i'm sure such a law would stop a great many from making this meth .
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