Proposed laws to fight methSB 561/HB 181 – Makes pseudoephedrine products a prescription-only drugSB 325/ HB 234 – Requires pharmacies to use an electronic database called the National Precursor Log Exchange, paid for by cold medicine manufacturersSB 1534/HB 1990 – Gives the National Precursor Log Exchange database a year to work. If it doesn’t, pseudoephedrine products would become prescription-only in 2012SB 351/ HB 591 – Adds additional guidelines onto the National Precursor Log Exchange that pharmacists would be required to follow to sell pseudoephedrine productsSource: Tennessee Legislature
Sides are being drawn in the state Legislature on how to curb the production of meth in Tennessee.
At the crux of the argument is how to limit the availability of pseudoephedrine – a main ingredient to make methamphetamine but one of the quickest, most efficient remedies for sinus problems.
Lawmakers are divided on whether to pass laws that either would require pharmacies to use a database – the National Precursor Log Exchange – to monitor pseudoephedrine sales or would turn pseudoephedrine-containing cold medicines such as Claritin-D, now available over the counter, into prescription-only.
The opposing bills clashed Thursday on the Senate floor.