“It diminishes significantly the number of
meth labs,” said Dr. Dan Foster of the possible effects of such a change.
“Illicit purchasers, it’s far more
difficult for them to get ahold of pseudoephedrine with prescription only. It’s
been proven in Oregon and Mississippi
Both of those states have laws that
keep drugs like Advil Cold & Sinus, Allegra D, Claritin D, Mucinex D and
Sudafed behind pharmacy counters and only available with approval from
doctors.
Delegate Don Perdue (D-19, Wayne),
the House Health and Human Resources Committee chairman, said he will again
introduce legislation during the 2014 legislative session that would do the
same in West Virginia
Right now, those medicines are
available over the counter, though there are limits on quantities that can be
purchased during specified time frames.
Sales of the drugs are tracked in
real time through the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx), which was
implemented in West Virginia
Foster said further limiting access
to pseudoephedrine will have a number of positive effects.
“If you can’t produce it, you don’t
have the toxic exposures to kids, real estate, hotels, motels that are damaged
with these sites. That is virtually eliminated,” he said.
As for claims that such a change
would punish people who follow the law, Foster said there are 120 other
products available that work like the drugs with pseudoephedrine.
Already, doctors can call in prescriptions for their patients
for the medications as well.
