East Tenn. lawmakers, pharmacies start Anti-Smurfing campaign
5.18.15 – Kayla Strayer, WATE
Local pharmacies are teaming up with lawmakers to help stop methamphetamine from being made.
It’s part of a new statewide educational campaign that pharmacies can voluntarily take part in by placing signs near pharmacy counters. Pharmacies, lawmakers and various state agencies are working together to stop smurfing, which is when people buy cold and allergy medicines for the purpose of making meth.
Starting Monday at Food City pharmacies, you will see signs letting customers know there are serious consequences to making meth. Mickey Blazer with Food City says the company already uses an electronic system which identifies customers, and blocks sales of medicines containing pseudoephedrine to anyone who has been convicted of a meth-related crime.
“It is a big problem in our area and the initiatives that Tennessee has taken within the last couple years have been very beneficial in helping us at the pharmacy level to control this, but there is still work to be done,” Blazer said.
Read more here.