Pubdate: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (Jackson, MS) Copyright: 2010 The Clarion-Ledger Contact: http://www.clarionledger.com/news/about/letters.html Website: http://www.clarionledger.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805 Author: Justin Fritscher Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) MED LAW TAKES EFFECT JULY 1 Hinds County Judge William Skinner said stopping methamphetamine abuse is worth the inconveniences caused by a new law that will restrict use of decongestant medicines, the main ingredient of meth. "We took a lot of heat over supporting this," Skinner said, noting his three years presiding over the county's drug and Youth courts showed him the ill effects of meth abuse. Gov. Haley Barbour signed House Bill 512 on Thursday requiring prescriptions to purchase medicine that contains pseudoephedrine, like Sudafed D and Zyrtec D. The Legislature overwhelmingly approved the measure. The law takes effect July 1. Law enforcement officials say the new law will decrease meth use. Others have criticized it, saying its burdensome and unfair. Joan Blanks, a Pearl resident who occasionally uses the medicine to remedy sinus issues, called the legislative action severe. "I don't want to call my doctor when I have sinus issues," Blanks said. "It's not easy getting in touch with a doctor all the time, and a lot of folks don't have a doctor." Blanks said she wouldn't mind if the medicines were just kept behind the counter. "I haven't done anything to cause a right to be taken away," she said. Dr. Diane Beebe said she's expecting a higher volume of people visiting Lakeland Family Practice Center. She said there already have been calls inquiring about what the law entails. People with a regular physician and diagnosed to suffer from seasonal allergies likely won't have to visit a doctor each time they need a refill, Beebe said. Rather, these patients probably can have their prescription called in, Beebe said. It's still unclear if the law would increase the costs of these medicines and if insurance companies will cover them. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi is reviewing the new law, spokesman John Sewell said. Medicines obtained by a prescription will be tracked from pharmacy to pharmacy, something not currently done for drugs containing pseudoephedrine, Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Jon Kalahar said. Right now, to buy drugs with pseudoephedrine, a person shows an ID, and the pharmacy may or may not keep record of it. And if the purchase were recorded, information is not typically shared between different pharmacy corporations, Kalahar said. Rankin County Sheriff Ronnie Pennington said meth use has ballooned in the suburban county in the past two years. Rankin leads the metro area in seizures of meth labs, according to data from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Rankin is just ahead of coastal counties in meth use. Ryan Harper, a pharmacist at Brandon Discount Drugs, said alternative medicine still will be on the shelves. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom