Last week, Christina Kim headed to the aisles of CVS Pharmacy, 240 MAC Ave., when her roommate needed cold medicine.
But if some legislators have their way, the advertising sophomore might have to show identification to a licensed pharmacist if she wants to buy cold remedies in the future.
As part of a bipartisan push to fight small methamphetamine labs popping up around the country, legislators want over-the-counter medicines to be sold behind pharmacy counters, and not in gas stations or grocery stores.
"Currently, meth manufacturers go to grocery stores and pharmacies and buy out their entire supply," said Scott Gerber, spokesman for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who announced the legislation last week.
"Meth is a huge problem in this country," he said. "It's time to take a tough stand."
Found in popular over-the-counter medications such as Sudafed and Tylenol Sinus, pseudoephedrine is the main ingredient used to make meth. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site, meth, commonly known as "speed," "crank" or "crystal," is an addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system.
The Combat Meth Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate last week, would limit the amount of medicines purchased within 30 days, making it tougher for methamphetamine manufacturers to produce the drug. It also would give money to train police and prosecutors in dealing with meth problems, authorize a methamphetamine research center and send grant funding for drug-endangered children response teams.
With 20 meth labs and 56 arrests involving the drug in Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties in 2003, any measure in Michigan could help law enforcement officials, Detective 1st Lt. Tim Gill of the Ingham County Sheriff's Department and the Tri-County Drug Task Force said.
"I personally consider meth the most destructive narcotic we've found in this country, Gill said. "It is more addictive than heroin with more destructive qualities to it."
Although meth labs are a serious issue in the United States, the act might cause a number of problems for both pharmacies and consumers, said Mary Ann Wagner, who is the Vice President of Pharmacy Regulatory Affairs for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
"We already have a shortage of pharmacists, and they are very, very busy," Wagner said. "You're going to have people standing in line for cold medicine along with the baby boomers already there for prescriptions, and pharmacists would have to police a log book for cold medicine along with their regular duties?
"It will be a major inconvenience for pharmacists and consumers."
Having the product behind pharmacy counters could cause a problem because most have limited hours of operation and limited space, taking away availability, Wagner said.
Wagner questions the effect such a law would have on meth labs.
"We need to look at the entire problem of the methamphetamine addition," Wagner said. "We're only looking at a small piece of the big problem."
But John Rector, general counsel for the national Community Pharmacists Association said the association is open to the idea of the legislation and said it might help consumers use caution.
"A lot of consumers have the point of the view that if it is over-the-counter drug, there's no risk involved," Rector said. "There's a lot of risk."
