Unlawful sale, distribution, or purchase of over-the-counter methamphetamine precursor drugs
This law is about buying or selling cold medicines that contain ingredients used to make meth — like pseudoephedrine (found in some Sudafed products). There are limits on how much of these medicines a person can buy or sell at one time. Selling or buying more than those limits is against the law, unless a doctor wrote a prescription for it. Pharmacists also have rules they must follow, like keeping a log of sales and not selling to anyone under 18 without a prescription. Breaking this law is a class A misdemeanor.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
579.060. sale, distribution, or purchase of over-the-counter — violation, . — 1. A person commits the of unlawful sale, distribution, or purchase of over-the-counter methamphetamine precursor drugs if he or she :
(1) Sells, , , or otherwise provides any number of packages of any drug product containing s of , , or , or any of their salts, , or salts of optical isomers, in a total amount greater than seven and two-tenths grams to the same individual within a thirty-day period, unless the amount is , sold, or a ; or
(2) Purchases, receives, or otherwise acquires within a thirty-day period any number of packages of any drug product containing any detectable amount of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers in a total amount greater than seven and two-tenths grams, without regard to the number of transactions, unless the amount is purchased, received, or acquired pursuant to a valid prescription; or
(3) Purchases, receives, or otherwise acquires within a twenty-four-hour period any number of packages of any drug product containing any detectable amount of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers in a total amount greater than three and six-tenths grams, without regard to the number of transactions, unless the amount is purchased, received, or acquired pursuant to a valid prescription; or
(4) Sells, distributes, dispenses, or otherwise provides any number of packages of any drug product containing detectable amounts of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, in a total amount greater than forty-three and two-tenths grams to the same individual within a twelve-month period, unless the amount is dispensed, sold, or distributed pursuant to a valid prescription; or
(5) Purchases, receives, or otherwise acquires within a twelve-month period any number of packages of any drug product containing any detectable amount of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers in a total amount greater than forty-three and two-tenths grams, without regard to the number of transactions, unless the amount is purchased, received, or acquired pursuant to a valid prescription; or
(6) Dispenses or offers drug products that are not excluded from in 17 or 18 of section 195.017 and that contain detectable amounts of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, without ensuring that such products are located behind a pharmacy counter where the public is not permitted and that such products are dispensed by a or under subsection 11 of section 195.017; or
(7) Holds a issued under chapter 144 and knowingly sells or dispenses packages that do not to the packaging requirements of section 195.418.
2. A , , or pharmacy technician commits the offense of unlawful sale, distribution, or purchase of over-the-counter methamphetamine precursor drugs if he or she knowingly:
(1) Sells, distributes, dispenses, or otherwise provides any number of packages of any drug product containing detectable amounts of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, in a total amount greater than three and six-tenth grams to the same individual within a twenty-four hour period, unless the amount is dispensed, sold, or distributed pursuant to a valid prescription; or
(2) Fails to submit under subsection 13 of section 195.017 and subsection 6 of section 195.417 about the sales of any compound, mixture, or preparation of products containing detectable amounts of ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, or pseudoephedrine, or any of their salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers, in accordance with transmission methods and frequency established by the ; or
(3) Fails to implement and maintain an electronic log, as required by subsection 12 of section 195.017, of each transaction involving any detectable quantity of pseudoephedrine, its salts, isomers, or salts of optical isomers or ephedrine, its salts, optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers; or
(4) Sells, distributes, dispenses or otherwise provides to an individual under eighteen years of age without a valid prescription any number of packages of any drug product containing any detectable quantity of pseudoephedrine, its salts, isomers, or salts of optical isomers, or ephedrine, its salts or optical isomers, or salts of optical isomers.
3. Any person who violates the packaging requirements of section 195.418 and is considered the general owner or of the outlet where ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine products are available for sale shall not be penalized if he or she documents that an employee training program was in place to provide the employee who made the unlawful with information on the state and federal regulations regarding ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine.
4. The offense of unlawful sale, distribution, or purchase of over-the-counter methamphetamine precursor drugs is a .
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Source & history notes
(L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1371, A.L. 2020 H.B. 1682 merged with H.B. 1896)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.