Blocking sales in real time is more effective

By BRIDGET LAMBERT

THE retail industry in West Virginia represents more than 21,000 businesses, over 162,000 employees and serves hundreds of thousands of customers.

One of the goals of the West Virginia Retailers Association is to make sure we contribute to a vibrant business climate by keeping our customers happy and ensuring that they have access to the products they need. I write to add our perspective to the recent debate — which has included some inaccurate news coverage — regarding the proposal to require a doctor’s prescription for safe and effective cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine — medicines like Advil Cold & Sinus, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Mucinex D, and Sudafed.

Government overreach

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Here we go again. Lawmakers in Charleston are once again trying to pass the so-called “Sudafed Bill” at the expense of cold and allergy sufferers across the region.

While the intent of this controversial legislation is noble, the measure as currently proposed is flawed. It’s another example of government attempting to regulate our lives. Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, is once again leading the fight to pass this ill-conceived measure. The same bill was correctly killed in last year’s legislative session.

The goal of the proposed legislation is to crack down on methamphetamine makers by restricting their access to medicines needed to make the drug. The problem with the bill is it targets 15 common household products used to treat colds, allergies and sinus difficulties that are currently available behind-the-counter, but without a doctor’s prescription, for cold and allergy sufferers.

LEGISLATION: Legislation will once again be proposed in 2012 regarding this issue.  Last year HB 2946 proposed requiring the issuance of a lawful prescription for dispensing drug products containing as an active ingredient ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and other chemical precursors of methamphetamine.

ISSUE: This bill will require consumers to go to a doctor to get a prescription for common cold and allergy products that include the ingredient pseudoephedrine.  These products are currently sold “behind-the-counter” and require the consumer to provide a valid ID.  That information is then compiled in a database available to law enforcement.

PRODUCTS IMPACTED:  Advil Cold & Sinus, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Mucinex-D, and Sudafed, among others.