After another case of Meth abuse in Jackson county Monday, officials from the Tri-county Metro Narcotics Squad say meth labs are popping up because it's now easier to make. Pharmacies however say it's not because the supplies are easier to purchase.
Thanks to the federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, buying and abusing products like Sudafed and other cold medicines has become more difficult over the last few years.
"They're located behind the counter so they actually have to come to the counter to purchase that, it's not located over the counter," said Pharmacist Eric Roath.
Location is just one of the changes that came in 2006 as part of an effort to crack down on those abusing products often used for producing meth.
"If anything there has been a decrease since the reporting systems have changed," Roath said.
Eric Roath, a pharmacist with PGPA pharmacy says an online program known as Methcheck has helped keep away those who may abuse over the counter drugs.
"Basically if Pseudoephedrine is purchased at a Walgreens through the online reporting system, we can see that so we can track not just purchases at our store, but all the other stores that are connected to the system."
And Roath says pharmacies often use that system across the state
"From our standpoint, it is working, all the pharmacies are compliant with this system and I feel like from our standpoint accessing the system from our end, we are doing a good job of keeping it out of the hands of people who may divert the product," Roath said.
A product that the pharmacy says is misused less now thanks to technology.
The most recent data from the Michigan State Police show for Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties, 12 meth labs were discovered in 2009, in 2010 that number was 8.
