Poll:
Should a prescription be required for cold medicines?
(WHAS11) - There is a controversial effort to further restrict the sale of cold medicines that contain pseudoephedrine - a chemical commonly used to make the illegal drug meth.
Those cold medications that now are found behind the pharmacist counter that require an ID, would require a doctor's prescription.
Police, fire, EMS, the Health Department all support this and say meth is reaching epidemic proportions in metro Louisville and something has to be done.
This week metro council will vote and could ask state lawmakers to change the current law in metro Louisville.
Another meth lab was busted in Jefferson County.
Nearly 150 were dismantled last year by a special metro police unit that's seen a 63% jump in cases and are asking for help.
Metro Councilwoman Vicki Welch wants to further restrict access to pseudoephedrine by requiring a doctor's prescription for the popular decongestants now found only behind the pharmacists counter.
Those sales are already tracked with information on the buyer coming to Meth Check - an instant system to alert police if a buyer is trying to purchase more than the legal limit.
The company says it's working to help police track sales.
When you go into a store and make a purchase an officer gets an e-mail alert and that is how they are able to make an arrest before the meth is even made."
But those on the front line point to their own numbers showing meth check helps with only a small percentage of the overall busts and they want more regulation.
And to help, there are two bills before the general assembly to require a doctor's prescriptions.
The week metro council will vote and could ask state lawmakers to change the current law in metro Louisville.
