Proposed bill in Tennessee would limit over the counter sales of certain cold medications and / or allegedly medications

Mar 04, 2014 at 01:00 am by bryan


The goal is to curb the production of methamphetamine in Tennessee, but concerns are being raised about the unintended impact that restricting sales of certain medicines will have on law-abiding consumers.

Gov. Bill Haslam has proposed limiting the purchase of cold and allergy products containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine that are used to make meth. But, doing so could unfairly burden many who need those medicines, especially senior citizens, said Debbie Pare an AARP Tennessee executive council member. Pare suggested that transportation is already an issue for seniors who no longer drive, but the issue will grow with a bill like this. She stated, “With this bill requiring more frequent visits to the doctor’s office for prescriptions for these medications, it’s going to be a hardship.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Under the Tennessee Anti-Meth Production Act, the amount of pseudoephedrine-based medicines that a person could purchase over the counter would be cut in half when compared with what’s currently allowed under state law. Any purchases beyond that would require a prescription. 

Sections: News