Question????

Currently, I work at CVS Pharmacy in Newnan, GA. Nearly every night that I work, several customers come in to buy Sudafed or CVS brand cold relief products. It is always the same question, “Can I get a box of CVS 12 hour? And make it the biggest one you got.” This cold relief product must be purchased from behind the counter because it contains pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is a nasal decongestant but is probably more known to some customers of CVS as an ingredient to produce methamphetamine. I’m not saying that all people that by CVS or Sudafed Nasal Decongestant products are taking it home to make meth but there are some customers that make me wonder. Usually, as I work the late night shift, customers would make what a call “drug run”. About two to four customers would come in the store consecutively to purchase this product and not to make assumptions but they all have the look of meth users. They are only allowed to buy one box but some even ask me to allow them to purchase two and they will slip extra money. As I wonder if these customers are buying these products for the wrong intention, all I can do is ask for their license and long their personal information into the computer. I have no right to not sell it to them unless the computer rejects their license. Newnan is notorious for meth labs. The other day, the local newspaper reported a lab being discovered and I recognized the suspects in the mug shots as customers of CVS. This experience poses several questions. What can the government do to restrict the sale of these pseudoephedrine products? Should more power be given to managers of pharmacies so they can restrict customers from purchasing these products? Should this product be completely taken off the shelf? Why does CVS continue to supply this product when there is a reasonable doubt that these products are being used for the wrong reasons? Would CVS rather not take a popular product that produces earning off the shelf even though it is being used harmfully? How can we better track whether these products are being misused?