JEFFERSON COUNTY, MO (KTVI - FOX2now.com) -
More meth labs are busted in Jefferson County than anywhere else in the country. On Monday night, leaders there passed an ordinance aimed at helping law enforcement deal with the meth problem. The council voted unanimously to require a prescription for people to buy products with pseudoephedrine in them, like cold medicines. Pseudoephedrine is a major ingredient in making meth.
"It is the only cold remedy that puts innocent children and families at risk through this cooking process," said County Executive Chuck Banks about pseudoephedrine.
Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer pushed for the bill. He calls the fight against meth his department's highest priority. Last year, 203 meth labs were busted in Jefferson County. So far this year there have been 215. Boyer says regulating pseudoephedrine with a prescription will help reduce the number of meth labs because pseudoephedrine won't be so readily available.
"There's only one thing that you cannot eliminate in the manufacture of methamphetamine and that's pseudoephedrine. When you take that out of the equation, you don't have methamphetamine," explained Boyer.
Rick Anspach, the manager of the Hillsboro Health Mart, applauds the move. In fact, he says his store has already been requiring a prescription for pseudoephedrine for some time. The reason: concerns over meth.
"We just are not messing with it here- the safety issues, the concern for the public health, and we're just not going to do it," explained Anspach.
The bill applies only to unincorporated areas of Jefferson County. It follows similar ordinances already passed in Union and Washington. Supporters hope it makes for a safer Jefferson County.
"We're protecting the public from meth cookers," said Banks.
Missouri State Representative Jeff Roorda wants to make pseudoephedrine available by prescription only statewide. Roorda from Barnhart and another state representative have already filed bills for the upcoming session trying to make that regulation a reality.
"The human cost of this has just gone on long enough. We need to take a bold step forward," said Roorda.
The state of Oregon has a similar ordinance to the one passed in Jefferson County. But the same kind of bill was defeated last week in the town of Sullivan, Missouri. There is concern from some that these kinds of bills make it to difficult for the average citizen to get medicine with pseudoephedrine in it.
"It is the only cold remedy that puts innocent children and families at risk through this cooking process," said County Executive Chuck Banks about pseudoephedrine.
Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer pushed for the bill. He calls the fight against meth his department's highest priority. Last year, 203 meth labs were busted in Jefferson County. So far this year there have been 215. Boyer says regulating pseudoephedrine with a prescription will help reduce the number of meth labs because pseudoephedrine won't be so readily available.
"There's only one thing that you cannot eliminate in the manufacture of methamphetamine and that's pseudoephedrine. When you take that out of the equation, you don't have methamphetamine," explained Boyer.
Rick Anspach, the manager of the Hillsboro Health Mart, applauds the move. In fact, he says his store has already been requiring a prescription for pseudoephedrine for some time. The reason: concerns over meth.
"We just are not messing with it here- the safety issues, the concern for the public health, and we're just not going to do it," explained Anspach.
The bill applies only to unincorporated areas of Jefferson County. It follows similar ordinances already passed in Union and Washington. Supporters hope it makes for a safer Jefferson County.
"We're protecting the public from meth cookers," said Banks.
Missouri State Representative Jeff Roorda wants to make pseudoephedrine available by prescription only statewide. Roorda from Barnhart and another state representative have already filed bills for the upcoming session trying to make that regulation a reality.
"The human cost of this has just gone on long enough. We need to take a bold step forward," said Roorda.
The state of Oregon has a similar ordinance to the one passed in Jefferson County. But the same kind of bill was defeated last week in the town of Sullivan, Missouri. There is concern from some that these kinds of bills make it to difficult for the average citizen to get medicine with pseudoephedrine in it.
