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Whiteley told council members Monday night the proposed ordinance is based on one enacted July 6 in Washington, Mo.
"This will give our city another tool to fight the ongoing battle against methamphetamine in Poplar Bluff and Butler County. We are all aware of the destructive nature it has on society, families and our children," Whiteley said. "Adopting this ordinance would be a significant step in thwarting the individuals who manufacture methamphetamine in our area."
Whiteley said the Missouri Police Chiefs Association will endorse this type of legislation Thursday. It has been endorsed by prosecuting attorneys in 95 of the state's 115 counties, including Kevin Barbour in Butler County. Locally, adoption of the ordinance is supported by 13 of the 14 pharmacists in Poplar Bluff, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs, the SEMO Drug Task Force, Dr. Chris Montgomery, Dr. Dorothy Munch and Dr. Darwin L. Davis.
Sgt. Mark McClendon, a narcotics investigator for the Missouri State Highway Patrol and a member of the SEMO Drug Task Force, said meth arrests are "six times more this year" and meth manufacturing "has tripled."
"People are going from town to town to purchase pseudoephedrine," McClendon said. "Poplar Bluff police made seven arrests over the weekend."
Councilman Robert Smith expressed concern about a working man having to obtain a prescription to buy cold medicine.
Currently, pharmacists are required by a federal law to obtain the name, address and driver's license number of everyone who purchases a product containing pseudoephedrine and to record the date and time. Narcotics investigators in the Poplar Bluff Police Department check the purchases and issue a "do not sell list" to the pharmacies so they won't sell pseudoephedrine to people who make repeated purchases.
"It will be easier for a patient to use a prescription, and it will be a lot more confidential," pharmacist Marty Michel said.
He noted one pharmacy does not use the "do not sell" list and is selling four times the amount of pseudoephedrine products they had been selling.
Dr. Chris Montgomery said the proposed ordinance will be "good for the safety of the community."
"If people are sick enough to need pseudoephedrine, they need to see a medical professional," Montgomery said.
He emphasized the manufacture and use of meth is "spreading like a wildfire."
Pharmacist David Farris said people are coming to Poplar Bluff from other states to purchase pseudoephedrine. He expressed concern for the safety of drugstore employees due to "a big shootout at a pharmacy in Oklahoma last week."
"We are tired of dealing with people coming to Poplar Bluff to buy this stuff. We want to put an end to it," Farris said.
Robin Robertson, president of the Southeast Missouri Pharmacy Association, said he was "almost killed by two unsavory subjects" who wanted to purchase pseudoephedrine while he was working in Florida.
"They are scary people. I am afraid something is going to happen here," Robertson said.
Sheriff Dobbs said the council needs to give "serious consideration to passing the ordinance for the good of the community."
Mayor Loyd Matthews thanked all those who participated in the presentation and said the council needs to consider what is good for the most people.
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If people are sick enough to need pseudoephedrine, they need to see a medical professional," Montgomery said.
Really? I'm fighting a head cold this week and pseudoephedrine is the only thing keeping my head clear enough to be able to go to work. Do I need to see a physician when I know what already works for me when I'm sick? NO. Why should I spend $50 or more for the office visit, lose 2 hours of pay while I wait at the doctor's office, have to pay a Rx copay on my insurance because this would now be a prescription? All in all, a change like this would cost me about $100 instead of the $3 that a box of pseudoephedrine costs me now. Boy, that's really going to help fix the healthcare problem in the US.
Mayor Loyd Matthews thanked all those who participated in the presentation and said the council needs to consider what is good for the most people.
The good Mayor has it right - legislating against the stupidity of a few hurts the majority of people that use this drug as indicated on the box for relief of nasal and sinus congestion. I hate that I'm already looked at like a criminal when I stop by the pharmacy to buy a box to use it for its intended purposes.
Yes, I agree with the thoughts of the City officials in trying to keep these drugs out of the wrong hands. No, I don't agree with requiring the public to go to a physician to get a Rx for this medication, after all this would increase the cost of getting sick. By adding a copay bill to the insured public. Also possibly more to those who are not as fortunate to Have Health Insurance!
This is BU--SH-T ! Sure the doctors love this idea! If Poplar bluff passes this ordinance the City Council and Mayor should be removed without question! The laws concerning pseudoephedrine are adequate. Why do we punish the majority because of some others bad choices? WTF..Geez all they will have to do is travel to The next small town to purchase it. What will this solve? Nothing! An expensive doctors visit just to get some cold meds. Yep Im sure the doctors are all for this ignorant idea.
I don't know about this one, why should all the law abiding citizens suffer for the "Meth Heads". Hard working people with no health insurance that can not pay for a doctors visit what will they do? We live in a area that has constant changing weather, people are sick all the time with colds, allergy etc because of the type of weather environment we live in here. One thing about it the doctors should do well add to the already fat bottomline.
Apparently the PB City Council is working under the delusion that prescriptions are given out free by doctors. Perhaps they should pass an ordinance that all requests for pseudoephedrine should be made directly to the Easter Bunny. Nothing like the good ol' USA where thousands of innocent people are screwed by the grandstanding gov't nabobs. Prescriptions are already needed for Xanax and Oxycontin, and that really keeps those drugs out of the hands of the scumbags doesn't it? If brains were dynamite the PB City council wouldn't have enough to blow its nose.
Words absolutely fail me. I don't want to have to spend money for a doctor, fuel, travel time for a prescription that my insurance won't pay for as it is an OTC available product and if they did my copay would exceed the actual cost. But the worst part is that is stupid and won't work. The DTF came by my office a few years ago with their dog and pony show asking us to support the plan to put this stuff behind the counter and the "meth problem" would be solved.
The DTF has some good people working for them, but I don't want them involved in my life. It s always "If we just do this it will..."; never enough and the drugs continue to flow.
NO, plain and simple. OTC means just that. On the occasion when I need OTC allergy meds that have proven to work, believe me, I need them NOW and at OTC prices not after spending half a day at the Doc in the box waiting to get a script along with the costs involved there. In considering this cock a mamy idea, PB is sacrificing the majority of good people for dope heads. Why punish the good majority for doper's rotten lifestyle? No.
That is the way that society works - the average law abiding citizen does have to pay for the stupidity of others. We pay for the welfare of those using drugs, we pay for the food stamps or foster care of the children of the people that land in jail because of drugs - and on and on. I am a medical professional so I do see the underside of the drug seekers. Do I agree with this - not really - it will not stop the making of meth, it will just make those getting the drugs go somewhere else. Unless this is a national policy 1 or 2 towns doing this really doesn't help. Then it may only help a little. Look at the other drugs that people seek on a regular basis - they need the script and they go get it - from 10 different doctors! There is always a way around the system for those looking!
Whatrpeoplethinking,
well I am not thinking what your thinking that's for sure! This idea is ignorant in any City anywhere. National policy, are you kidding me?
I do not support making pseudophedrine available only with a prescription. Like many have said, it is senseless to have to go the doctor. Besides then we will have our immediate healthcare facilities and ER's filled with 'seekers'. If they want it, they will find a way to get it.
Focus on the laws already on the books and use your time/effort enforcing those. There have been many busts lately, perhaps your efforts are helping. Good luck.
The simple fact is that if it can't be made from ingredients procured here, it will just be smuggled in fron somewhere else like cocaine.