Meth Ingredient Sales Spike in St. Louis County Cities Near St. Charles County

Sales of pseudoephedrine in St. Louis County cities bordering St. Charles County spiked in September after St. Charles County banned over-the-counter sales, according to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

Sales were especially high in cities near bridges connecting St. Charles and St. Louis counties. In Bridgeton, sales in September jumped 81 percent over August. In Maryland Heights, they increased 59 percent, while in Chesterfield they increased 51 percent.

The Post-Dispatch reported that industry representatives attributed the increase to allergy sufferers in St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin Counties. A registered nurse noted allergies flare up in the fall when weather changes, during ragweed and pollen season.

“I don’t know if I’d have had the nerve to make that statement,” St. Charles County Sheriff Tom Neer. “That seems unrealistic when most people can just buy an over-the-counter medication that works just as well.”

Allergy medications containing phenylephrine and other antihistamines are available over the counter. Neer said pseudoephedrine does work better for some people.

Joy Krieger, executive director of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s St. Louis chapter, earlier told Patch that asthmatics use pseudoephedrine because it reduces nasal tissue swelling and opens up breathing passages. Asthma attacks come when the breathing passages shrink.

Neer said that people with asthma usually have a doctor. The way the ordinance is written, getting the medication could take just a phone call.

Krieger said she is afraid that low-income families or those without health insurance may not be able to get pseudoephedrine products if they are required to get a prescription first, the Post-Dispatcharticle stated.

That’s one reason she believes many of those going to St. Louis County to buy the medications are legitimate users.

St. Charles County Council Chairman Joe Brazil (R-District 2) said those going from St. Charles County to St. Louis County to buy pseudoephedrine products likely include legitimate and illegitimate users, but he believes the majority are meth users.

The issue is that St. Louis County officials don’t acknowledge they have a problem, he said.

“St. Louis County does not want to admit they have a meth problem or a heroin problem,” Brazil said. “The people in law enforcement know it.”

The St. Charles County Sheriff said they didn’t expect that passing the ordinance in St. Charles County would reduce meth lab numbers dramatically.

“We’re not that naïve,” Neer said. “We know meth makers will just go to St. Louis County.”

He said if Bridgeton passes a law, meth producers would just go to St. Ann.

“We need a statewide ordinance, and then we’ll see the dramatic changes that Oregon and Mississippi have seen,” Neer said.

Mississippi had a 70-percent decrease in meth labs and Oregon had a 90-percent drop since those states began requiring prescriptions for pseudoephedrine medications.

The St. Charles County Sheriff said he’s been talking to state legislators about a statewide ordinance banning over-the-counter sales.

“A few are 100 percent behind it. Generally, they’re listening to the lobbyists,” he said.

“It’s all about money,” Neer said.