Online Deadline
May 14, 2008
Pharmacies in Arkansas had until today to link up to a very important network.
Its called LeadsOnlabs and it's designed to help put a stop to the production of methamphetamine.
Employees at Park West Pharmacy say they're well aware of the damage methamphetamine can cause.
"The abuse, the fires, young children getting burned and hurt in the meth labs, accidents that are happening on the streets, dental problems that we saw in the store because of meth abuse, says registered Pharmacist Dr. Bill Bloodworth.
But Park West and hundreds of other Arkansas Pharmacies are doing their part to put an end to the meth epidemic.
This computer program called LeadsOnlabs keeps track of all the pseudoephedrine sold
in Arkansas.
If you want to buy some, you'll have to scan your driver's license, and the
program keeps track of what you've already purchased.
"This is a law that's been set forth by our legislature and I applaud them for that because it does help control the meth problem that's so big in Arkansas, says Bloodworth.
In the past, meth cooks would load up on Sudafed at various pharmacies, and employees had no way of knowing.
"The obvious would happen, the users or abusers we'll say, they would go from store and there was no tracking mechanism from one store to the next, they could stop at this store go down to thee next store, Bloodworth says.
But that phenomenon could be a thing of the past.
Officials with North Little Rock Police say they've noticed a spike in meth labs in recent
past, but they also say they're certain that linking every pharmacy to LeadsOnlabs" will make a big difference.
Right now, you can't buy more than 3 grams of pseudoephedrine at any one time.
There's also a 9 gram limit every 30 days.
To view the video that goes with this story, click here.
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For more information on LeadsOnlabs
call 888.994.7771.
For information on LeadsOnline call 800.311.2656.