Mississippi may make cold meds RX only

BILOXI, Miss. (WALA) - A surge in meth labs are giving police problems, but if Mississippi state law makers have it their way, consumers will have to have a prescription to buy cold medications containing pseudoephedrine. The bill proposing the law would make it harder to get the main ingredient to cook the drug.

Meth lab busts and arrests have skyrocketed in the state of Mississippi over the past year. There were more than 500 labs busted in 2009, that's 441more than in 2008. The new popular way to make the drug, the shake and bake method, is contributing to the problem.

"2009 is the first year methamphetamine arrests have surpassed all other drug arrests, not just in Jackson County but in the state of Mississippi," Narcotics Task Force Commander Lt. Curtis Spiers said.

Lt. Spiers said the proposed ban against selling meds with meth ingredients to people who don't really need them won't create a problem for the people who are truly ill and need them.

"There are over 24 other different types of cold remedies, over the counter cold remedies, that are still available. This doesn't mean in any way shape or from that anyone who has the common cold has to go see a doctor because of it, it simply states you are going to have to go see a doctor to get a prescription for Sudafed," Lt. Spiers said.

But for some people, having to pay the doctor a visit, also means having to pay more money out-of-pocket for medicine. Donnie Glenn is concerned for some people who may not be able to afford extra bills.

"I think it puts a burden on the poor man that man who can't afford to go to the doctor, that's for sure," Glenn said.

Alexis Graves is a certified Pharmaceutical technician at Walgreens, she says the proposed law would give pharmacists and techs like her more time to concentrate on real patients.

"I think it is going to be an excellent idea, it really takes time from us when we are trying to fill prescriptions for customers who really need our customer service then dealing with a lot of meth heads in this town. If they get that law passed I'll really appreciate it, me and our team that works in the pharmacy," Graves said.

Lt. Spiers acknowledged the fact that addicts already travel across state lines to conceal their buying habits, but he said this proposed law would make it harder for meth makers to get the main ingredient to cook the drug.

"There are probably 10-12 different ways to manufacture meth but the one constant in all of those, the one thing you have to have, is pseudoephedrine. It doesn't matter what recipe you use that's the one drug you have to have," Lt. Spiers said.

Lt. Spiers hopes surrounding states will follow suit, to put an end to meth.

As of now you can still walk into your local grocery or pharmacy and get cold medicines like Mucinex and Sudafed, but if Mississippi law makers get their way, not only will you have to show an ID but you'll also need a prescription to get medicines like these.

The Governor of Mississippi, Haley Barbour, has already said he supports the bill and will sign it when it comes to his desk. If the bill is signed into law it will go into effect July 1, 2010.