Dexter, Mo., board of aldermen considers pseudoephedrine regulations

DEXTER, Mo. -- An ordinance proposed at the Monday night meeting of the Dexter Board of Aldermen could potentially change the way citizens purchase certain cold medicines within the city limits.

The proposal came as the result of recent law changes in Poplar Bluff and Kennett requiring that residents have a medical prescription before being allowed to purchase pseudoephedrine and several other sinus medications.

While the proposal is on the table, none of the aldermen voiced immediate support mainly because of the uncertainty of exactly what way is the proper way to handle the situation.

As the ordinance currently reads, it would require a prescription for the purchase of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, their salts, their optical isomers or salts of their optical isomers.

City Administrator Mark Stidham stated that he has been contacted by some area pharmacists who stated that since the other communities changed their regulations, Dexter has seen an influx of suspicious purchases of the medications.

Stidham said that one possible concern in changing policies could be the increased workload on employees at convenience stores and places other than licensed pharmacies.

Current Missouri statute 195.417 limits the amount of the questioned medications an individual can purchase in a specified amount of time.

The same law also requires that records be kept that state to whom and when the product was sold.

Those same records, according to state law, "shall be open for inspection and copying by municipal, county, and state or federal law enforcement officers whose duty it is to enforce the controlled substances laws of this state or the United States."

Any medicines currently on the shelves would not be affected by the passing of the ordinance. The proposed ordinance would only affect cold and sinus medicines that contained ephedrine, which were currently only available from behind the counter of a pharmacy.

The board did express that no action was being taken at this time; it is merely a possibility being considered. It was also noted that input from potentially affected merchants and law enforcement would be welcome.

No word was given as to when the issue would be revisited.

The next meeting of the Dexter Board of Aldermen will be on Monday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.