Nov 22 Local News Bill Requiring Prescriptions for Cold Medicines Would Only Apply to Certain Convicts by Brenna Angel, Kentucky Public Radio A Kentucky state lawmaker has pre-filed legislation that would require a prescription for cold and allergy medicines, but it would only apply to convicted meth offenders. Many over-the-counter cold remedies contain pseudoephedrine, an ingredient used to make meth. Democratic Representative Brent Yonts wants to create a block list for […] By WFPL News Nov 22 Local News Bill Requiring Prescriptions for Cold Medicines Would Only Apply to Certain Convicts WFPL News
Oct 7 Local News Meth Debate Picks Up as General Assembly Nears State lawmakers heard a variety of opinions on how to limit methamphetamine production today. The number of meth labs in Kentucky has been increasing for years. The drug manufacturer group Consumer Healthcare Products told the Joint Committee on the Judiciary the state should create a database of people who have been convicted of meth-related crimes. […] By Gabe Bullard Oct 7 Local News Meth Debate Picks Up as General Assembly Nears Gabe Bullard
Apr 29 Local News Plan To Track Meth Ingredient Clears Indiana Legislature From the Associated Press A bill to require computerized tracking by Indiana retailers of cold medicines used in making methamphetamine has cleared the state legislature. The Senate voted 41-8 today for the bill, which the House approved Thursday. It would have all stores selling ephedrine or pseudoephedrine enter the identity of customers into a multi-state […] By Rick Howlett Apr 29 Local News Plan To Track Meth Ingredient Clears Indiana Legislature Rick Howlett
Apr 5 Politics Indiana House Panel Approves Pseudoephedrine Bill A computerized tracking system, paid for by the health care products industry, is already used in ten other states, including Kentucky. It would limit the amount of those medicines that could be bought in a 30-day period. By Rick Howlett Apr 5 Politics Indiana House Panel Approves Pseudoephedrine Bill Rick Howlett
Mar 7 Politics Anti-Meth Bill Could Still Pass, Despite Stall The measure would make over-the-counter drugs that contain the meth ingredient and decongestant pseudoephedrine available by prescription-only. It's faced harsh criticism from lawmakers who say it places more strain on the uninsured and won't significantly stop meth production. But, Majority Floor Leader Robert Stivers says he won't take the bill off the board until the end of the legislative session. That's despite statements from the bill's sponsor conceding defeat on the legislation. By Gabe Bullard Mar 7 Politics Anti-Meth Bill Could Still Pass, Despite Stall Gabe Bullard
Feb 22 Local News Drug Czar Weighs In On Meth, Prescription Drug Abuse In Kentucky Florida Governor Rick Scott has proposed cutting a program that would track prescription drugs in his state. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Congressman Hal Rogers have asked Scott to reconsider. Office of National Drug Control Policy director—or Drug Czar—Gil Kerlikowske says Florida needs to fight the prescription drug trade, since pills from that state are sold and abused in Kentucky and elsewhere. By Gabe Bullard Feb 22 Local News Drug Czar Weighs In On Meth, Prescription Drug Abuse In Kentucky Gabe Bullard
Feb 18 Local News Meth Bill Awaiting Action In Kentucky Senate Jensen says he would be open to a compromise on the meth bill. One option might be to exempt the gel form of pseudoephedrine from the prescription requirement. By Rick Howlett Feb 18 Local News Meth Bill Awaiting Action In Kentucky Senate Rick Howlett
Feb 9 Local News Meth Bill Would Affect Low-Income, Uninsured Kentuckians A bill that would make cold medicines that contain the meth ingredient pseudoephedrine available by prescription only may have unintended consequences for many Kentuckians. The legislation will make the medicines unavailable to meth producers, but also to many of the state's uninsured residents. By Gabe Bullard Feb 9 Local News Meth Bill Would Affect Low-Income, Uninsured Kentuckians Gabe Bullard
Feb 8 Local News Meth Lab Busts Reach Record High In Kentucky Late last year, Kentucky State Police trooper John Hawkins told WFPL the increase in meth lab busts was so sharp that police were on track to find more than one thousand before the end of the year...and they did. By Gabe Bullard Feb 8 Local News Meth Lab Busts Reach Record High In Kentucky Gabe Bullard
Feb 4 Local News Beshear Unsure On Pseudoephedrine Bill The Governor says he wants to reduce the number of meth labs in the state, but is concerned about the effect of the measure on law-abiding citizens. In addition, he says it’s hard to know if any new law enforcement system is going to be effective before it’s implemented. By Gabe Bullard Feb 4 Local News Beshear Unsure On Pseudoephedrine Bill Gabe Bullard
Feb 3 Local News Rogers Speaks In Favor Of Anti-Meth Bill Rogers says 137 other cold and allergy remedies that don’t contain pseudoephedrine will be still be available over-the-counter. Despite the congressman’s appeal, the legislation has a steep hill to climb. No votes have been taken yet, but Pat Davis, wife of U.S. Congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky, is among the opponents. By Tony McVeigh Feb 3 Local News Rogers Speaks In Favor Of Anti-Meth Bill Tony McVeigh
Jan 27 Local News Meth Bills Draw Opponents In General Assembly Pseudoephedrine, which is found in most over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines, is a key ingredient in illegally manufactured methamphetamine. And with the number of meth labs exploding in Kentucky, two bills requiring prescriptions for medicines containing pseudoephedrine have been introduced in Frankfort. By Tony McVeigh Jan 27 Local News Meth Bills Draw Opponents In General Assembly Tony McVeigh
Dec 8 Local News Officers' Group Wants More Restrictions On Meth Ingredient The Kentucky Narcotics Officers’ Association is pushing for state legislation that would require a doctor’s prescription for the purchase of pseudoephedrine. The drug, found in some cold medicines, is also a key ingredient in the manufacturing of methamphetamine. The state already requires that over-the-counter purchases of medicines containing pseudoephedrine be limited and tracked electronically, but […] By Rick Howlett Dec 8 Local News Officers' Group Wants More Restrictions On Meth Ingredient Rick Howlett
Mar 16 Local News Cross-Border Effort Focuses on Cutting Meth Production Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear has announced a partnership with Southern Indiana law enforcement to combat the high number of meth labs near the states’ common border. WFPL’s Elizabeth Kramer has more. Gov. Beshear and Indiana law enforcement officials in Clark and Floyd counties say they are going to share information using a Kentucky database to […] By Elizabeth Kramer Mar 16 Local News Cross-Border Effort Focuses on Cutting Meth Production Elizabeth Kramer