Sikeston City Council renews pseudoephedrine prescription ordinance

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Having tried it for a year, Sikeston will remain a city that requires a prescription for pseudoephedrine products.

City council members approved a bill readopting an ordinance restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine products within city limits during their regular meeting Monday.

The council adopted the bill April 5, 2010. It went into effect May 5 with a one-year sunset clause.

"It's been very successful," said Sikeston Department of Public Safety director Drew Juden.

Based on the success of Sikeston and other municipalities that have restricted the sale of pseudoephedrine products, the state is now looking at passing a similar statewide restriction, Juden said.

"It is keeping a dangerous drug off our streets," he said.

Juden said while restricting pseudoephedrine products hasn't completely eradicated meth from the city, it is reducing the drug's prevalence.

From Jan. 1, 2010, to April 30, 2010, there were 42 meth-related arrests and 10 labs confiscated in Sikeston. From May 1, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2010, there were 21 meth-related arrests and 10 labs confiscated.

This year, there were 22 meth-related arrests and five labs confiscated between Jan. 1 and March 15.

Juden said Illinois officials are considering restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine products while Kentucky has a statewide computer tracking system for pseudoephedrine purchases.

According to information presented to the council, Det. Bobby Sullivan reportedly interviewed individuals regarding the effect of the pseudoephedrine restriction.

Those interviewed "told us in the beginning that they were going to Cape Girardeau to pick up pills," Sullivan reported in an email to other DPS officers. "When Cape Girardeau adopted the ordinance, Perryville pill sales tripled. Perryville now has an ordinance against the sale of pills without prescription. We are hearing now that the pills are being purchased in Illinois and Kentucky."

Juden said the tracking system is ineffective, however, as people have found ways to "get around it" and some are actually making a living "smurfing" (going from store to store buying) pseudoephedrine.

Pertinent address:

Sikeston, MO