Consumers limited in the amount of certain cold, cough and allergy medications
By Susan Branham
Santa Paula News
Published: October 18, 2006
By Susan Branham
Santa Paula Times
Recent Federal legislation aimed at curtailing the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine will result in some inconvenience for consumers and pharmacies. As of September 30, consumers are limited in the amount of certain cold, cough and allergy medications they can purchase. Each purchaser of these drug products will be limited to 3.6 grams per day, not to exceed 9 grams in a 30-day period.
“We just want to get the word out so people know what to expect,” said John Skovmand, president and pharmacist of Seeber’s Pharmacy in Santa Paula. The new requirements for certain over-the-counter remedies are the result of a rider attached to a federal anti-terrorism bill, Skovmand explained.
The law, The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005, requires that pharmacies selling products containing pseudoephedrine, such as SudafedTM, take special training in the newly mandated requirements. “The products must now be locked in a case or behind the counter, and purchasers must sign and print their names in the log book,” Skovmand said.
Customers have to provide their address, date and time of the purchase. Photo identification is also required, and only the person signing the log book will be given the product. In addition, the log book will record the drug product and the amount sold. The pharmacy will be required to retain the log book and make it available only to local, state or federal law enforcement agencies.
The products will now be blister packed. The restrictions on the drug products containing pseudoephedrine are intended to make the illegal manufacture of methamphetamine, commonly called “ice”, “crystal”, “crank” and “meth” more difficult. Methamphetamine is addictive and dangerous, and the manufacturing process is also dangerous. “This is a major inconvenience to help curtail that activity,” Skovmand said. “This will make it tougher for the bad guys.”
The new requirements apply to all 50 states.
