Meth Fears Drive Cold Drug Limits

Pharmacies Push Law Putting Common Medicines Behind The Counter

(AP)  An association representing more than 36,000 pharmacies is issuing guidelines for possible federal legislation to restrict sales of cold medications containing a substance often used in the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine — or "speed."

Pseudoephedrine, a main ingredient in a number of over-the-counter drugs like Sudafed, Nyquil and Sinutab, can be extracted by boiling down the cold medicines; toxic chemicals are then used to turn the substance into highly concentrated meth.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores, moving to avoid a hodgepodge of state laws, is calling for an overarching federal law that would require that such products be kept behind the pharmacy counter and sold only by a licensed pharmacist or pharmacy personnel.

Purchases should be limited to 9 grams — or 366 30-milligram pills — in 30 days, the association says.

The guidelines also suggest that drugstores be required to keep written or electronic logs of all pseudoephedrine purchases to assist law enforcement efforts.

"These principles strike a balance between keeping valuable products available to our customers and combating dangerous, illegal practices," Craig L. Fuller, the group's president and CEO, said in a statement Sunday.

In January, a dozen Republican and Democratic senators announced legislation to put drugs containing pseudoephedrine behind the counter. The drugstore association opposed that bill, arguing it would create unacceptable barriers for regular customers.