Pharmacies have new restrictions on selling cold medicines


Pauline Cole, 10, of Jeannette, walked up to the Wal-Mart pharmacy counter in Greensburg, stood on her tiptoes and waved a card showing a box of Sudafed at the pharmacist.
"Where is this?" she asked, peering over the counter.

"If we have it, it would be on the shelf over there," the pharmacist said, pointing to a shelf located next to the pharmacy.

The freckle-faced girl walked over to the shopper-friendly "Cough and Cold Express" station and picked up a box of Sudafed.


Pennsylvania pharmacies do not have to restrict sales of medicines that contain pseudoephedrine -- such as Sudafed, Tylenol Flu and Aleve Sinus & Headache -- but many are doing it on their own. The ingredient can be illegally used to make the highly addictive street drug, methamphetamine.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill in September that would limit how much cold medicine people can buy and require them to show photo identification and sign a log.

But for this cold season, at least, the potential for a consumer nightmare has proven to be not so much of a hassle at Pittsburgh pharmacies.

"It doesn't surprise me that the drug stores are having some issues with (enforcing their policies) because it is voluntary right now," said Rob Quigley, executive director of Drug Free Pennsylvania.

Wal-Mart's company-wide policy limits customers' purchases of products containing only pseudoephedrine to three per visit. Pharmacy employees are told to ask customers for identification proving that they are 18 or older.

The store keeps plastic cards showing the picture of the product on the shelves in place of the actual product. Customers take the card up to the pharmacist and then are directed to a nearby shelf -- only a few steps from where the products originally were kept.

Eckerd, CVS and Rite-Aid pharmacies all have similar policies with slight variations in the restrictions.

At the Squirrel Hill Rite-Aid store, three shelves are vacant and covered with signs directing consumers to the pharmacy. Since August, all drugs containing pseudophedrine have been kept out of reach.

A sign states: "Pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in many nasal decongestants, is being chemically altered by criminals to produce illegal drugs."

Methamphetamine can be made from commonly available household products such as drain cleaner, lithium batteries, rock salt, paint thinner and cold medicines.

Kristal Milo, a pharmacist at a CVS store Downtown, said the company requires, "anything that has a single entity of pseudoephedrine" to be kept behind the counter.

Mike DeAngelis, manager of CVS corporate communications said the policy, which was instituted July 1, states that every CVS is limited to selling 9 grams of pseudoephedrine to each customer, "which equates to 3 boxes or 4 bottles in liquid form."

Milo said she has her doubts about the system.

"People can still get it at flea markets if they are going to abuse it," she said.

What does it mean that cough and cold tablets containing pseudoephedrine and tablets containing ephedrine with other ingredients are schedule V controlled substances?
It has been found that solid dosage forms of over the counter (OTC) pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine products are used to illegally manufacture methamphetamine. A law was passed that added these products to the list of Schedule V controlled substances and requires that they may only be sold in pharmacies. Only a pharmacist or a registered pharmacy technician may sell the products. OTC cough and cold medicine in liquid and liquid-filled gel capsule forms are exempt from this scheduling action.

Where can I buy cough and cold medication?
OTC cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine in solid, tablet dosage forms may only be found behind the pharmacy counter in a licensed pharmacy. OTC cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine in liquid and liquid-filled gel capsule form may still be purchased from retail outlets such as convenience and grocery stores.

Why do I have to buy cough and cold tablets containing pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine in a pharmacy?
Effective July 15, 2005, solid tablet dosage forms of OTC pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine products are schedule V controlled substances and may only be sold from behind the pharmacy counter in a licensed pharmacy.

Why can't convenience and grocery stores carry cough and cold tablets containing pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine?
Only businesses registered with the Missouri State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration are permitted to stock controlled substances.

Who is authorized to sell cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine?
OTC cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine may only be sold by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician from behind the pharmacy counter in a pharmacy.

Is there a minimum age requirement for the purchaser?
Yes. A person must be at least 18 years of age to purchase OTC cough and cold tablets containing pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine.

Why do I have to show my photo identification before I can buy cough and cold medicine?
The pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician will record the name and address of each person purchasing OTC cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine in either a written or electronic log. If the pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician does not know you or whether you are at least 18 years old, you will have to produce suitable photo identification.

Will I have to have a prescription to purchase the schedule V products?
No. Consumers may purchase OTC pseudoephedrine and multi-ingredient ephedrine products that are schedule V controlled substances without a prescription.

What information is stored in the log the pharmacy keeps for OTC cough and cold medicine purchases?
The written or electronic log that the pharmacy uses to track purchases of cough and cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine will track the name and address of the purchaser, the amount of controlled substance purchased, the date of the purchase, and the name or initials of the pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician selling the products.

Who has access to the log the pharmacy keeps for cough and cold medicine purchases?
The same agencies that may view controlled substance records may access these logs. Federal, state, local and municipal law enforcement officers may look at the logs. Representatives of the Missouri State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs and Board of Pharmacy may also look at the logs.

How much cough and cold medicine may I purchase?
You may purchase a maximum of 9 grams of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine that are contained in schedule V products in any thirty (30) period. This restriction does not apply if your doctor gives you a prescription for a larger quantity.

You may purchase a maximum of 9 grams of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine in liquid or liquid-filled gel capsule form in any one transaction.

How long will it be before I have to buy cough and cold medicine from a pharmacy?
The bills were signed into law by Governor Blunt and became effective on June 15, 2005. Retail outlets such as convenience and grocery stores have thirty (30) days from that date to remove all solid cough and cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine from their shelves (July 15, 2005). Pharmacies have that same amount of time to move the products behind the pharmacy counter where the public is not allowed. These businesses may have already chosen to move the products.

How soon will pharmacies be tracking purchases in a log?
The bills were signed into law by Governor Blunt and became effective on June 15, 2005. Pharmacies may begin tracking purchases immediately, but have ninety (90) days from the effective date of the law to have the log in place (September 13, 2005).