Pharmacists, lawmakers demonstrate meth lab prevention system

Representatives of the Missouri Pharmacy Association demonstrated the technology used to track the sale of cold and allergy medications that can be used to produce methamphetamine.

The National Precursor Log Exchange or NPLEx system was implemented in 2011 and involves distributors asking for identification from buyers of drugs containing pseudoephedrine.

“In 2016, the NPLEx system in Missouri helped block the sale of 37,089 boxes of PSE, keeping 96,580 grams from potentially being used illegally,” said Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-St.Charles. “This is an 18 percent reduction in blocks of sales and over a 5 percent reduction in unique purchasers compared to 2015, indicating that those who were attempting to illegally purchase PSE for meth production are being discouraged from doing so, thanks to NPLEx.”

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, more than 2,100 meth labs were identified in the state at the time the NPLEx system launched. That number was down to 314 meth labs in 2016.

In a 2016 report, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said the vast majority of meth in the country was produced in Mexico.

Missouri is one of 33 states that have passed legislation to implement NPLEx.