When Anna Border took the oath of office last summer for her late husband's seat, she said one of her goals is to see passage of a bill the late Delegate Larry Border supported...putting further limitations on the sale of ingredients used in the manufacture of methamphetemene.

"I'd like to see that go through the House again, and on to the Senate, and for the governor to sign it into law," Del. Border (R-9th District) said in July. "And that, I'm anticipating to happen."

The first step toward that took place this week, when a bill similar to one rejected by the Senate was introduced. however, pharmacists like Michael Cox of Cox's Family Pharmacy say they have been taking steps to make sure large amounts of products like Sudafed are not sold to people who could be using them to establish meth labs.

"We work well with the narcotics task force in town, and we try to do what we can to prevent illegal use and the meth problem in the area," Cox says. "We try to do what we can on our side to prevent things like that happening."

For several years now, state law in both West Virginia and Ohio have required the sale of pseudoephedrine over the counter. The proposed law also requires a prescription. And that's what has the pharmaceutical industry concerned.

The fear is that might make certain products such as cold medications more difficult to get for people who really need them. They might require a co-pay if obtained through a doctor. but Cox believes doctors would work with patients on the cost.

"To me, it shouldn't make much of a difference. Right now, we just don't have to call a doctor and get a prescription, or have the doctor call a prescription in."

Sen. Dan Foster (D-Kanawha County), one of the bill's sponsors, says in his legislative blog that, despite the over-the-counter requirement, meth labs in West Virginia have increased by 50% in the past year.