Missouri Pharmacy Assn. working to stop the use of drug to make meth

Missouri’s pharmacy association is working to stop the illegal use of certain drugs sold over the counter used to make meth.

Today, a demonstration was held at a local pharmacy to show how they monitor sales of pseudoephedrine.

That’s a common ingredient in allergy and cold medicines, but its also an ingredient used to make meth.

The latest system tracks how much of the drug a person buys in one day or one month to find out if its being abused.

Officials said this helped lower the amount of meth lab busts by 40% statewide, compared to last year.

“It put the pharmacist in a very difficult situation. They want to help patients, they want to work with patients, but when 4 or 5 people pop out of a car and are all buying a similar product, pharmacists know what its being utilized for. This gives them a tool they can use to shut those sales down,” said Ron Fitzwater with the Missouri Pharmacy Association.

So far this year in Missouri, the tracking system has blocked the purchase of more than $25,000 boxes of pseuedoephedrine.