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Answer:In March 2006, the United States Congress enacted Senate Bill 103: the "Combat Meth Act of 2005," which requires any product containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine to be strictly regulated to help prevent the production of methamphetamine, an illegal street drug. Pseudoephedrine is a common ingredient in many cold and allergy relief products.

In April 2006, restrictions began limiting the number of packages of products containing these ingredients that can be purchased in one transaction and the number that can be purchased in a 30-day period. Since September 30, 2006, all products must be placed behind the pharmacy counter, and purchasers of any of the above items are required to show identification and sign a logbook.

In addition to the federal law above, many state governments have enacted their own laws regarding the sale of pseudoephedrine products. State laws may be more or less stringent than the federal law. Since pharmacies are required to follow the stricter law, pharmacies in different states may have different procedures to follow when selling pseudoephedrine products. If you have any questions about purchasing pseudoephedrine products, contact a local pharmacy in the state where the purchase would take place.

Oregon was the first state to enact a law requiring a prescription for any products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or phenylpropanolamine. Its law required that these three ingredients be moved up to controlled-substance status by July 1, 2006.

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