Text Box: When you visit your local pharmacy, drugstore, or other retail store, you may notice some of your favorite cold and allergy medications are missing from the shelves. In early 2005, the Kansas Legislature passed a law requiring all products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®) be classified as a C-V controlled substance. In Missouri, single ingredient pseudoephedrine products have been required to be in a locked cabinet or behind the checkout counter since October 2003. Missouri also limits the amount that can be purchased at one time. What is a controlled substance? Controlled substances are drugs which have a high potential for addiction or abuse. They are classified into categories of C-I through C-V. C-I substances have the greatest potential for abuse and recreational use; this risk decreases as one moves through classes C-II through C-V. The C-I class contains items such as heroin and marijuana and is used only for research purposes. They cannot be prescribed by physicians in routine practice. C-II contains drugs such as cocaine, morphine, and methylphenidate (Ritalin®). These may be prescribed by physicians, but cannot be given refills without a new prescription. C-III contains a group of medications such as Tylenol #3® or Lortab ® which may have a combination of ingredients such as acetaminophen with codeine or hydrocodone. C-IV medications include the benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax®) and clonazepam (Klonopin®), or the sleep aids zolpidem (Ambien®) and the new eszopiclone (Lunesta®). C-V contains medications containing either single products containing ephedrine, or combinations with limited quantities of narcotics (cough medicines with codeine, for example). Medicines in classes C-III through C-V can be given up to 5 refills in 6 months. Most of the C-V medicines are pre

Text Box: scription-only, but a few medicines in this class can be purchased without a prescription according to certain guidelines. Why have these medications become controlled substances? The intent of the law is to control the supply of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. These two drugs are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, an illegal drug of abuse. By cutting the supply, the legislature intends to reduce the dangerous production and distribution of methamphetamine in the state of Kansas. If I need Sudafed® or another product containing pseudoephedrine, how can I get it? Products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine are still available without a prescription, but can only be sold in a pharmacy. You must be over 18 years old, and show photo identification proving date of birth. After the pharmacist has recorded the product and amount purchased, you will be asked to sign a logbook with your name and address. The pharmacy must take care to protect your private information so others cannot see it when completing the log. Some products will be exempt from this law. Combination products that are in liquid form or gel-filled capsules can still be sold over the counter without pharmacy monitoring. Examples include all children's liquids, Nyquil® & Tylenol® flu gel caps, Sudafed® Cold & Cough liquid caps and Dayquil® liquicaps.

Where’s My Cold and Allergy Medicine?

Contributed by: Tammy Stack, Pharm.D.

Community Pharmacy Resident

Raynaud’s	2
What's On the Website?	3
Sun Protection	3
Sun and Medications	4
Chiggers	4
Cataracts	5
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma	6
Vitamin B	7
Prostate Cancer	8
Pharmacies	8

Our mission is to empower our patients with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding their health and optimize the use of their medications through screenings, seminars, and consultations.

We will serve as a knowledgeable and trustworthy source by providing drug and health-related information in a confidential and professional manner.

Text Box: Co-edited by: Sarah Kerner, Pharm.D. Miranda Wilhelm, Pharm.D. Tammy Stack, Pharm.D.

Continued on Next Page