California considers new drug law

SACRAMENTO, June 16 (UPI) -- A key ingredient in allergy relief and the manufacture of methamphetamines may soon require a prescription in California.

The state Senate passed a bill that would make it illegal to sell pseudoephedrine over the counter. The drug is used as a decongestant in allergy medication but also is needed in illicit meth labs.

The Sacramento Bee reported Tuesday California lawmakers are impressed with the success of a similar law in Oregon, which has stopped the practice of "smurfing," where illegal drug manufacturers hire five or six people to drive around to a number of stores buying as much decongestant containing pseudoephedrine as allowed by law.

Medicines with the drug include Sudafed, Zyrtec-D and Claritin-D.

Sen. Rod Wright, D-Los Angeles, said most pseudoephedrine used in meth labs is legally purchased.

The legislation is now in the state Assembly for consideration.