For the past few years, the sale of pseudoephedrine has been restricted in the state of Tennessee. This drug is widely used in preparations for sinus and allergy conditions. It has been considered very safe and effective for decades.

However the fact that it is also used in the illegal and dangerous manufacture of methamphetamine has led to laws that create significant inconvenience for law-abiding consumers.

At one time the drug was readily available in dozens of products sold over-the-counter in every pharmacy, grocery, big-box store and convenience market in the country. Initially sold under the brand name Sudafed, it has become an integral ingredient in many other brands of products.

The problem is not with any normal consumer use of the products that contain pseudoephedrine.

The problem is that pseudoephedrine is a favored ingredient for the manufacture of methamphetamine (meth).

There are a few variations on the chemical procedures involved in the manufacture of meth, but one of the most popular methods relies on using pseudoephedrine as an ingredient.

That means that the meth makers either buy or more frequently recruit others to buy (or steal) massive quantities of the over-the-counter drugs that contain pseudoephedrine.

In addition to the deadly effects that meth users eventually encounter, the manufacture of meth has created millions of dollars in damage to Tennessee properties.

For example, let’s say you happen to own a rental home that goes vacant for a couple of months. Suppose further that the house sits back off the road or would be otherwise obscured, so that no neighbors would take no notice of unfamiliar cars parked nearby.

This type of scenario is very attractive to an unscrupulous meth maker. In a matter of hours he can invade the property, cook up a few batches of his nasty brew and be gone, leaving the mess for you to clean up.

As the property owner, you would be urgently advised not to simply get busy with a mop and broom. The chemicals used in the manufacturing process as well as the chemical residue of the process are considered exceptionally toxic. In many cases professional toxic material cleaning crews must be called in.

In addition to the expense involved with the clean up, the property owner then faces possible condemnation of the property until environmental protection authorities have confirmed it is again habitable.

The residue from the toxic manufacturing process can contaminate surfaces such as floors, carpets, counters and walls. Even more invasive, it is frequently found that the ventilation systems including duct work and air processing units have been contaminated and must be cleaned by environmental contractors.

With all of these costs being born by the property owners or in some cases the tax-paying public, as well as the human costs of the continued growth of the meth market, it is understandable that authorities are interested in taking whatever steps necessary to rid the area of meth producers.

Some tout the logic that if it becomes harder to obtain the necessary ingredients to make meth, including pseudoephedrine, the meth makers will move on to another region of the country. Since meth is a national epidemic, brisk sales are guaranteed across the country. Meth is extremely addictive, so new customers are made every minute.

That is the thinking that led to the drug pseudoephedrine being placed behind the pharmacy counter. A prescription is not needed to make a purchase, but an ID is. Meth purchases are tracked by state authorities. Any individual can only purchase a certain amount at a time.

Although many products now use substitute ingredients in their products available on the retail shelves, for many consumers the substitute drugs are less effective than the original formulas.

Some local municipalities have recently stepped up their efforts to combat meth manufacture by banning the sale of pseudoephedrine altogether. Winchester has recently banned the sale and Manchester is reported to be considering following suit.

Whether the ban will help reduce the manufacture of meth is debated, since drug- seeking or money-hungry recruits willingly make the drive to areas where the drug is still available. However, for sinus and allergy sufferers that depend on the pseudoephedrine for relief, it is certainly an inconvenience.

The ban is criticized by some as being another case of punishing the innocent for the actions of the guilty.