Nasal decongestant pills containing 30mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride are a key ingredient in the manufacturing of methamphetamine, known commonly as meth.TENNESSEE LAWCurrent Tennessee law requires buyers of the cold and allergy medicines to show a photo ID and sign a logbook that is submitted to the state. People may not buy more than 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine per day or more than 9 grams over 30 days. Law enforcement officials say buyers called “smurfs” circumvent those laws by traveling around to stay ahead of record-keeping and purchasing limits. In 2012, state records show about 748,000 of the state’s 6.4 million residents bought a product that contains pseudoephedrine. About half those purchases were diverted to make meth, officials said.
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Customers seeking relief from runny noses and headaches will have to take an extra step before buying pseudoephedrine-based cold medicine after Manchester, Tenn., officials passed an ordinance this week requiring a doctor’s prescription for the medication.
Despite the University of Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service’s doubts about the ordinance’s validity, Manchester aldermen voted 4-2 in favor.
The targeted medicines — such as Sudafed-Congestion, Advil Cold & Sinus, Tylenol Cold Severe Congestion, Mucinex-D and other brands — contain the main ingredient used by methamphetamine cooks to produce the illicit drug.