METHSHIELD™ REAL-TIME, ONLINE TRACKING OF PSEUDOEPHEDRINE PURCHASES
THE METHAMPHETAMINE EPIDEMIC IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS FACING OUR COMMUNITIES; IT IS THE MOST DEADLY, ADDICTIVE AND RAPIDLY SPREADING DRUG THE UNITED STATES HAS KNOWN.
Meth is cheap, potent and available everywhere. During the past decade, meth use in communities has increased by as much as 300 percent.
Federal, State and Local laws regulate the sale of pseudoephedrine, a chemical commonly found in cold medicines, which is a necessary ingredient in the production of meth. The law requires that these products be placed behind the pharmacy counter, and individuals purchasing these products must present a photo ID and sign a logbook. The intent is to allow legitimate consumers access to the medicine their family needs, while keeping pseudoephedrine out of the hands of meth “cooks.”
Most states use a cumbersome written logbook system to track pseudoephedrine sales. This inefficient system prevents sharing of real time information between pharmacists, retailers, and law enforcement. The written logs do nothing to catch meth “cooks” in the act of purchasing illegal quantities of pseudoephedrine – allowing them to continue selling their drugs in our neighborhoods and at our schools. In order to correct this problem, several states have adopted, or are considering adopting electronic logbooks to provide law enforcement real time reporting of illegal pseudoephedrine purchases.
MethShield™ is a real time web based tool that enables pharmacists, retailers, and law enforcement to track the sales of products containing pseudoephedrine. The online system instantly alerts law enforcement if an individual is attempting to make an illegal purchase - allowing them to catch the potential meth “cook” in the act. MethShield™ complies with all Federal, State and Local laws and allows cross sharing of information between jurisdictions.
MethShield™ is based upon the highly successful nationwide electronic log system currently used in Australia. In 2005, when this system was initially deployed in one of the nation’s largest states, it saw a 23 percent drop in meth labs. The system is now nationwide and recently won the national Excellence in Law Enforcement Award.
For more information on MethShield™, please contact MethShield™.
