Here We Go Again

A Springfield City Council member is drafting language that would ban over-the-counter sales of a key methamphetamine ingredient.

Zone 1 Councilman Jeff Seifried said he intends to “start a discussion” on the topic and asked city legal staff to work on language for a bill that would likely require a prescription for the purchase of a popular cold and allergy tablet, pseudoephedrine.

These measures are failing all over the place, and for good reason.  Thousands of families aren't able to afford a co-pay or a day off to see the doctor for cold medicine.  Nor should they have to.  The drugs are safe for normal consumption, and the failure on the part of law enforcement should not result in a burden on people who are already struggling to make ends meet.  Those same people can't afford sick days, and may be going without something else just to get the medicine.

One proposed solution has been a database where you are forced to provide your driver's license to purchase "dangerous" OTC medicine.  No, that's not unnerving at all.  Meanwhile, delivery trucks are moving it to criminals by the case, and citizens are forced to sign and pay for the expense of having their right to privacy squashed.

Fight the battle a different way.  This will just send people over city or county lines, idiots.