Health News
A University of Kentucky research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this week shows a direct correlation between pseudoephedrine sales and methamphetamine production in Kentucky counties. Pdeudoephedrine, the main ingredient in Sudafed and similar decongestants, is the key feedstock for meth labs. The General Assembly further limited its sale this year.
?We find that counties where more pseudoephedrine is sold, more methamphetamine lab seizures are reported. Even though Kentucky requires pseudoephedrine sales to be tracked electronically, in real-time, the per-capita sales in some counties appear to be aberrant. Our results indicate a 565-fold variation in pseudoephedrine sales between counties. It is highly improbable that demand for pseudoephedrine in these counties is solely due to cough/cold/allergy,? explained Jeffrey Talbert, director of the College of Pharmacy's Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.
The other authors of the study are College of Pharmacy faculty members Karen Blumenschein and Trish Freeman, staff member Amy Burke, and Arnold Stromberg of UK?s Department of Statistics. For a copy of their report, click here.
- Courier-journal Editorialists Change Position And Join The Herald-leader In Supporting Meds-for-meth Legislation
The state's two biggest newspapers are in agreement: pseudoephedrine should be available by prescription only in order to curb methamphetamine production. The Courier-Journal offered its opinion in an editorial today: "Meth remains a scourge in Kentucky....
- Require All To Have A Prescription For Pseudoephedrine, Or Just Meth Criminals? Officials Debate The Issue On Ket
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News If something isn't done now about the prevalence of methamphetamine in Kentucky, "We're going to lose a generation." That was one of the jarring comments from one of the public officials who discussed ways...
- Conway, Stumbo Say Yonts' Pseudoephedrine Bill Doesn't Do Enough To Stop Smurfing
State Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, has proposed a bill that would make people who have been convicted of meth-related crime to get a prescription to buy pseudoephedrine, but Attorney General Jack Conway and House Speaker Greg Stumbo both told cn|2's...
- Make Pseudoephedrine Available Only By Prescription And See What Effect It Has On Methamphetamine Making, Editorial Argues
The 2012 General Assembly should make the cold medicine pseudoephedrine available only by prescription to see if that curbs methamphetamine production, an editorial in the Lexington Herald-Leader argues. The editorial notes the plan of Democratic...
- Law Enforcement And Allies Getting Ducks In Row In 2nd Bid To Pass Bill To Require A Prescription To Buy Pseudoephedrine
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News With police finding 20 percent more meth labs in Kentucky than a year ago, they and others are again encouraging state legislators to make pseudoephedrine less available by requiring a prescription for it....
Health News
UK study definitively shows that meth labs proliferate in state's counties where pseudoephedrine sales are high
?We find that counties where more pseudoephedrine is sold, more methamphetamine lab seizures are reported. Even though Kentucky requires pseudoephedrine sales to be tracked electronically, in real-time, the per-capita sales in some counties appear to be aberrant. Our results indicate a 565-fold variation in pseudoephedrine sales between counties. It is highly improbable that demand for pseudoephedrine in these counties is solely due to cough/cold/allergy,? explained Jeffrey Talbert, director of the College of Pharmacy's Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy.
The other authors of the study are College of Pharmacy faculty members Karen Blumenschein and Trish Freeman, staff member Amy Burke, and Arnold Stromberg of UK?s Department of Statistics. For a copy of their report, click here.
- Courier-journal Editorialists Change Position And Join The Herald-leader In Supporting Meds-for-meth Legislation
The state's two biggest newspapers are in agreement: pseudoephedrine should be available by prescription only in order to curb methamphetamine production. The Courier-Journal offered its opinion in an editorial today: "Meth remains a scourge in Kentucky....
- Require All To Have A Prescription For Pseudoephedrine, Or Just Meth Criminals? Officials Debate The Issue On Ket
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News If something isn't done now about the prevalence of methamphetamine in Kentucky, "We're going to lose a generation." That was one of the jarring comments from one of the public officials who discussed ways...
- Conway, Stumbo Say Yonts' Pseudoephedrine Bill Doesn't Do Enough To Stop Smurfing
State Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, has proposed a bill that would make people who have been convicted of meth-related crime to get a prescription to buy pseudoephedrine, but Attorney General Jack Conway and House Speaker Greg Stumbo both told cn|2's...
- Make Pseudoephedrine Available Only By Prescription And See What Effect It Has On Methamphetamine Making, Editorial Argues
The 2012 General Assembly should make the cold medicine pseudoephedrine available only by prescription to see if that curbs methamphetamine production, an editorial in the Lexington Herald-Leader argues. The editorial notes the plan of Democratic...
- Law Enforcement And Allies Getting Ducks In Row In 2nd Bid To Pass Bill To Require A Prescription To Buy Pseudoephedrine
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News With police finding 20 percent more meth labs in Kentucky than a year ago, they and others are again encouraging state legislators to make pseudoephedrine less available by requiring a prescription for it....