Legislation Would Move Sales of Some Cold Medicines Behind the Counter
Sen. Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) on Monday introduced a bill (SB 152) that would require over-the-counter decongestants containing pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used to make methamphetamine, to be sold behind the counter, the Modesto Bee reports. Currently, consumers can buy as many as three packages of medicines containing pseudoephedrine at one time.
Speier's bill would put a nine-gram cap on the amount of pseudoephedrine consumers could purchase over a 30-day period and require consumers to show a valid from of identification and sign a log or receipt showing the transaction date, purchaser's name and amount sold. Sales of liquid cough medicines and gel capsules containing pseudoephedrine would not be affected by the bill if such products included another active ingredient, such as acetaminophen for pain relief, the Bee reports(Stern, Modesto Bee, 2/9).