Pseudoephedrine is the active ingredient found in widely used, over-the-counter allergy medications. But the drug is also a main ingredient in the illegal production of methamphetamine (Meth) which has a become a problem for law enforcement across the country. Lawmakers in Kentucky are looking to curb a rising meth production rate and studying other states, such as Oregon, who has made pseudoephedrine a “scheduled” drug requiring prescription and has far fewer producing meth labs. The pharmaceutical industry lobbying association, Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) is actively working to persuade lawmakers in Kentucky that “prescription access does not serve as an effective law enforcement mechanism” and that such drastic measures will be making it far more difficult for the many allergy sufferers using the medication as indicated.
Read The Entire Story by Jessie Halladay of the The Courier-Journal.
