Sullivan City Council Will Repeal Ordinance Following State Actions In Pseudoephedrine

The Sullivan City Council had some lengthy discussions Tuesday evening, October 18, on Ordinance #3438, which was passed back in 2010 due in part to helping stop or slow the production of methamphetamine through invdividuals purchasing pseudoephedrine products such as brand names like Claritn D.

Alderman Matt Wiegers was approached by a citizen asking why they had to still get a prescription for the products even though the State of Missouri has a tracking system and some stores/pharmicies in Sullivan were allowing the sale over the counter.

Sullivan City Administrator J.T. Hardy reported to the Independent News, “Prescriptions for pseudoephedrine cannot be required. In the past, some local jurisdictions had ordinances that required a prescription for pseudoephedrine products but these local ordinances were expanded in 2020.”

Hardy went on to say, “The new law passed by the Missouri Legislature states that Schedule V meth-precurso products are sold over-the-counter and logged into the state NPLEx system. The law states that no prescription can be required. This no only negates the local ordinances, but pharmacies cannot have a policy to require a prescription. No one may require or mandate a prescription.”

Hardy concluded that, a prescription can be used if it is voluntary. A practitioner and patient may use prescriptions if it is their choice, but a prescription cannot be required anymore.

The council is expected to repeal their ordinance during their first meeting on November 1. 

Council members were informed that the number of methamphetamine labs in state of Missouri has been reduced substantially and most of the methamphetamine is coming into the country through cartels.