Martin Board Decides to Make Pseudoephedrine Prescription Only
MARTIN, Tenn. – Tennessee ranks worst in all 50 states for meth abuse, Weakley County ranks in top 10 within the state. Officials from the city of Martin for years have debated if making pseudoephedrine prescription-only would help combat the issue. Martin Police Chief David Moore said it will. “What we can do is affect what we can affect.,” he said. “And locally what we can affect is the one precursor that has to be present for the manufacture of all meth, that’s pseudoephed.” Pseudoephedrine is one of the main ingredients to make meth. Monday night, every aldermen voted in support of making it available by prescription only. The changes after signed by the mayor will take effect immediately. “We hope to see an immediate impact on the folks that we feel like place the pharmacy workers and the public in general at risk, every time they try to procure [pseudoephedrine] for illicit purposes,” Chief Moore said. Not everyone supported the idea. Many argued it would bring gang activity to the area and said making something a prescription may only serve to make meth more abused. Weakley County Commissioner Scott Fortner objects to the idea saying anytime the government limits citizens it’s not a good thing. “Anytime the government steps in to take civil liberties away from anyone, it’s an issue that should be investigated thoroughly. And in my research meth labs have to do with law enforcement not legislation,” he said. Chief Moore said the passage will affect ages 18-40 mainly. He said while a new inconvenience may be presented, he hopes residents see the bigger picture. “If we can limit [pseudoephedrine] locally and other communities will limit it locally then we’ll make a big statement about how we feel about the use of meth in our cities,” he said. The ordinance will take affect immediately. In a year’s time, the board will reconvene and view statistics to see if making pseudoephedrine prescription only really cut down meth labs in the city. They said if they find the opposite to be true, they plan to overturn what was voted.
