The War on (Cold) Drugs

Phil Freeman / The Current

For years, the use and production of methamphetamine has been steadily increasing in the U.S. In an attempt to combat this increase, some states have passed laws that restrict or help to track how much pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in cold medicine, consumers can buy. Some states require a person to have identification so that their information can be entered into a database that will help to prevent them from exceeding the limit of 9 grams in 30 days.

However, many states are considering taking it one step further and requiring a prescription to buy cold and allergy medicine that contains pseudoephedrine to make it even more difficult for a person purchasing the drugs to obtain pseudoephedrine for the production of meth. In 2006, Oregon became the first state to pass a statewide law requiring a prescription for cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Two Missouri cities, Union and Washington, followed Oregon’s example and passed laws requiring a prescription for the purchase of cold and allergy drugs with pseudoephedrine. Now, however, legislature has been introduced that would make it necessary across the entire state of Missouri, instead of only in Union and Washington. Similar state-wide legislation has been introduced in several other states including Mississippi, Georgia and Washington.

Not only will these laws be unsuccessful in lowering the levels of the drug in areas typically known to have a high population of addicts, but it would also take access to what should be an over the counter medicine away from low income families who cannot afford to go to the doctor for a simple cold. Over 740,000 Missourians are without health insurance and getting a prescription to combat a cold or allergies would be financially impossible. Why punish these Missourians? Most people use cold and allergy medicines for, you guessed it, colds and allergies. A small percentage of people use them to create meth and there are enough other ways to combat the use of meth without penalizing those with a runny nose.

The most troublesome aspect of implementing a law requiring a prescription to cure the common cold is that it would not fix the root of the problem. The real problem in Missouri is meth use, not meth labs. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, there is still a great deal of meth in Oregon despite there being fewer labs to make it. Officials have said that it seems meth labs have cropped up in new places to replace the ones shut down in areas with laws requiring a prescription; the meth is just brought in.

Officials maintain that the levels of meth are still high in areas with these sorts of laws.

Instead, the DEA said that it seems that the users have instead switched to a “more addictive and potent form of meth known as ‘ice’ or ‘crystal.’” So not only are those harmlessly looking to purchase something to stop the sneezing being punished, but those who are already using meth are basically being encouraged to convert to a more deadly and addictive variety. If Missouri imposes a law requiring a prescription for cold and allergy medicines, it is likely the same situation will occur.