The state senate votes to stop something called "smurfing."
Senator Norma Champion’s proposal requires pharmacies to keep electronic records of those who buy prescription drugs. The state health department is to develop a central system for keeping track of the information so the buyers can be tracked as they go place to place–a practice called "smurfing"
If the bill makes it through the legislature, Missouri would be the 37th state with a drug monitoring law.
Champion’s bill also calls for more comprehensive record-keeping of people who buy pseudoephedrine, a non-prescription product often used to make methamphetamine. Sellers will have to see a photo-ID, get an address, have the purchaser sign for the item, and make the records available to police.
Champion says Oklahoma is the only other state with the super-registration system for pseudoephedrine. She says that state has been able to drastically cut its meth production since adopting the standard.
The House has the bill now. It already has approved a similar bill.
Download Bob Priddy’s story (:61 mp3)
