Patient Advocacy Group Cites Study to Oppose Prescription-Only Pseudoephedrine Laws

A Fenton proposal was debated for months before finally being defeated by the Board of Aldermen.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is out with a new poll re-confirming what AAFA already learned from a previous study and from 60 years of continual nonprofit service to the asthma and allergy community: patients nationwide – even in Missouri – strongly oppose proposed laws to change popular over-the-counter (OTC) medications to prescription-only (Rx) status, the organization said in a news release The issue has been a big one in Fenton in recent months as the aldermen debated a bill to to require a doctor's prescription to purchase such pseudoephedrine (PSE) products as Sudafed and Actifed. After months of consideration and debate, the bill came to a vote in January but was defeated by the Fenton Board of Aldermen. It …

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Fenton's Prescription-Only Pseudoephedrine Plan Gets More Votes, Still Doesn't Pass

Pseudoephedrine products still will be available in Fenton without a prescription, following the failure of a prescription-only plan to gain enough votes

A bill to require a doctor's prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine from Fenton pharmacies received more "yes" votes than "no" votes Thursday night, but it still will not become the law of the city. The prescription-only bill apparently had been approved on a 4-2 vote. But the victory for proponents of the bill was short-lived. The reason? Even though the proposed law received a majority of aldermanic votes at Thursday's meeting, it did not achieve a majority of the full board, which is constituted to have eight members. One aldermanic seat is vacant after Alderman Jerry Sorge, Ward 2, moved from the city last fall. And, Alderman Gary Fischer, Ward 4, was absent Thurday. So, with four votes to approve the prescription-only bill, it did …

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Zephrex-D: New Meth-Busting Decongestant in Pharmacies in November

Zephrex-D, a new decongestant that drug agents say cannot be converted into methamphetamine, is set to hit St. Louis pharmacies this month. A prescription will not be required to purchase the drug in some areas.

Zephrex-D, a new decongestant that its manufacturer and St. Louis area drug agents say cannot be converted into methamphetamine, is set to hit St. Louis pharmacies this month. As previously reported by Patch, Zephrex D is expected to be available in St. Louis area pharmacies in November. Since its maker and drug agents say it cannot be converted into meth, it will also be sold without a prescription in some counties that have recently passed ordinances requiring a prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine products like Claritin-D and Allegra-D. Zephrex-D is manufactured by Maryland Heights based Highland Pharmaceuticals. Westport Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of Highland. Paul Hemings, with Westport Pharmaceuticals, isn't giving specifics…

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Zephrex-D: Meth-Busting Decongestant in St. Louis Pharmacies This Year

Highland Pharmaceuticals plans to offer Zephrex-D in St. Louis pharmacies by November. The new decongestant reportedly cannot be converted into meth and might not require a prescription.

In an effort to fight methamphetamine, Missouri cities and counties, although not St. Louis County, are passing ordinances requiring prescriptions to purchase pseudoephedrine products like Claritin-D and Allegra-D. Pseudoephedrine is the key meth making ingredient needed to make the drug. It is extracted from popular allergy medications and converted into meth.  Now, a new decongestant set for sale in St. Louis area pharmacies in November is touted as meth-resistant and gaining support by area drug agents.  Zephrex-D, manufactured by Maryland Heights based Highland Pharmaceuticals, is a new pseudoephedrine product that police and the drug's maker hope will stop meth cooks in their tracks. "St. Louis is our test market and it's our …

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Police: Men Bought Cold Medicine to Make Meth

Police said the men intended to sell the precursor drug to a meth cook.

Two men face criminal charges after police found pseudoephedrine in their car during a traffic stop last December. Matthew Lohman, 23, of the 4500 block of Schumacher Road in High Ridge, and Shawn Cramer, 22, of House Springs, MO, both were charged last week with possessing a methamphetamine precursor drug with intent to make meth. St. Louis County Police said that following a traffic stop Dec. 3 on Hawkins Road near San Luis Rey Parkway, they found several boxes of Wal-Phed, which contained pseudoephedrine. According to the police report, Lohman and Cramer said they bought the cold medication so they could re-sell it to a meth cook. Bond for Lohman was set at $5,000. Bond for Cramer was set at $7,500. For more crime information on Fenton-…

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Man Charged With Intent to Make Meth

Police said the man intended to sell cold medication to meth cook.

A man faces criminal charges for buying cold medicine with pseudoephedrine intending to sell it to a methamphetamine cook. Joseph D. Weatherby, 19, of Pacific, was charged Aug. 7 with possessing a precursor drug with intent to make meth. St. Louis County Police said Weatherby had the pseudoephedrine in his car Feb. 16 at  Walgreens, 1001 Bowles Ave., in Fenton. According to the police report, Weatherby told police he intended to sell the drug knowing it would be used to make meth. Bond was set at $5,000. For more crime information on Fenton-High Ridge Patch, see the following articles:

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Fenton Board of Aldermen Rejects 'Prescription-Only' Pseudoephedrine Bill

On a narrow vote, The Fenton Board of aldermen rejected a proposal that would have required a doctor's prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine products at local pharmacies.

The debate by the Fenton Board of Aldermen over a proposed law that would require a prescription to purchase pseudoephedrine products in the city has lasted on for weeks. Thursday night, the aldermen narrowly rejected the proposed bill, sponsored by Alderman Chris Clauss, on a 4-3 vote with one alderman, Joe Maurath, abstaining. Voting for the prescription-only requirement were aldermen Harold Bade, Clauss, and Jim Mauller. Opposed were aldermen Paul Seemayer, Jerry Sorge, Dan Borgard and Gary Fischer.  The 4-3 tally means pharmacies still may sell a box pseudoephedrine nasal relief products, such as Sudafed or Actifed, without requiring a prescription. Those who favor making pseudoephedrine more difficult to purchase say it will help …

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Bev Ehlen

5:02 am on Friday, July 6, 2012

Do you have to sell a box of pseudoephedrine to "someone who obviously has no "nasal congestion" and is going to cook it down with the other three boxes that he and his buddies bought one after another to make methamphetamine." I would think that if "that person was someone who obviously has no "nasal congestion" and is going to cook it down with the other three boxes that he and his buddies …   more ›

21 Arrested on Federal Meth Conspiracy Charges

Multiple local, and federal law enforcement agencies participate in arrests of individuals from Franklin and Jefferson counties.

Twenty-one individuals from Franklin and Jefferson counties were arrested Wednesday on charges that they were part of a methamphetamine manufacturing and distributing network operating from 2009 to 2011, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in St. Louis The charges are part of an indictment that was returned on May 16 but remained sealed until Wednesday afternoon.  Multiple law enforcement agencies participated in the arrests, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the Kirkwood and Pacific City Police Departments. "The arrest of these individuals signals our agency’s continuing commitment to eliminate the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine, a …

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Poll: Should Fenton Require Prescriptions for Pseudoephedrine Sales?

A prescription is required when buying products like Sudafed in Jefferson County, Wildwood and Eureka. Supporters believe it helps prevent the manufacturing of meth, while opponents argue that it's not worth the inconveniences to everyday consumers.

In a Battle Against Meth, Fenton Considers a Prescription-Only Pseudoephedrine Law

Fenton pharmacies are among top statewide sellers of pseudoephedrine products, although meth lab seizures remain low.