State plans meth database

Missouri is developing a database to track purchases of cold medicine containing an ingredient that can be used to make methamphetamine.

The database would automatically deny those trying to buy more than the state’s limit on cold medicine.

Missouri tracks purchases of cold medications containing pseudoephedrine, and a 2008 law required the development of a real-time monitoring system. Pharmaceutical companies are paying to develop and run the database.

John Knorp, owner of Plaza Pharmacy in Sedalia, said he does not sell products containing pseudoephedrine without a prescription because current laws are not enough.

“The only way they are going to manage this at all is if there is a database that everyone can tap into,” Knorp said.

Knorp said he also would like to see a national database in addition to a state database.

He said he would consider selling pseudoephedrine without a prescription as long as he can check and make sure the person is not over the daily limit.

The system will automatically deny the sale to a buyer who has exceeded the daily limit of 3.6 grams or 120 standard tablets, according to a statement from the Governor’s office.

Gov. Jay Nixon said Monday that Appriss Inc. was picked to build the database.

A buyer who is denied would receive a receipt with Appriss’ phone number asking the person to call Appriss for an explanation of the denial. The system also is able to spot fake identification cards, flag multiple purchasers living at the same address and track other suspicious patterns.

Nixon said the database could be online in three months.

Under the current law, products containing pseudoephedrine must be kept behind a counter at a pharmacy. Buyers must show identification and sign a register. Currently, law enforcement must review dozens of registers to find the names of people making multiple purchases.

The drug companies-funded database comes as several Missouri lawmakers have proposed requiring a doctor’s prescription before someone could buy cold medications that contain pseudoephedrine such as Sudafed, Claritin-D and Aleve Cold & Sinus.

For the ninth straight year in 2009, Missouri had the most meth lab incidents in the nation. Incidents include meth lab busts but also any documented evidence of meth-making.

Missouri had 1,774 meth lab incidents in 2009, which was up 19 percent from 2008 when there were 1,487. Indiana had the second-most meth lab incidents in 2009 with 1,096.

Some Missouri cities have acted on their own and now require prescriptions for those cold medications. For example, in particularly hard-hit Franklin County, Union and Washington, Mo., enacted local ordinances requiring prescriptions for certain cold and allergy medications. Local officials said problems from meth had gotten bad enough to do something new.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story

Readers react

Bill Griffith, of Sedalia, said the database is a step in the right direction for helping to control pseudoephedrine sales.

“We need to control this stuff better,” Griffith said.

Although the database will be helpful, Griffith said people might ask their friends or families to purchase the cold medications so the database will not pick up their name.

Tesa Jenkins, of Sedalia, said she does not know much about the current law, but, “if people are buying it in mass quantities they should be monitored.”

John Meehan, of Sedalia, said the database is a good first step in trying to combat the production of methamphetamine in Missouri.

“I believe that the manufacturing, sale and use of meth is a serious issue in Missouri,” Meehan said. “I think we all need to cooperate with law enforcement to keep the drug off the streets.”

Missouri had the most meth lab incidents in the nation last year.

Meehan said people should not feel inconvenienced when buying cold medication and he said the database is a step in the right direction.