A series of restrictions aimed at methamphetamine production were approved by the U.S. Senate as part of the renewal of the U.S. Patriot Act, the Associated Press reported March 7.

Under an amendment sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Jim Talent (R-Mo.), pharmacies nationally would have to restrict purchases of medications that contain chemicals which can be used to make illicit methamphetamine. Beginning Sept. 30, buyers of drugs containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine -- including popular cold medicines like Sudafed -- will have to get them from behind a pharmacy counter, sign a log book, and produce ID. Maximum purchase amounts also will be set: 120 20mg pills daily, and 300 maximum per month.

The rules are meant to thwart would-be meth cooks from buying the drugs to feed illicit meth labs. Some states have already passed similar laws, but as Fresno, Calif., police chief Jerry Dyer noted: "If we leave it up to local jurisdiction, we're simply going to move the problem from one jurisdiction to another without addressing the root cause." Eliminating local meth labs by cutting off their supply of chemicals also will have big environmental benefits for local communities.

However, many observers say that the law will have the unfortunate side-effect of increasing trafficking of more potent meth from Mexico to fill the market void left by local cooks. "We're going to see trafficking by Mexican cartel organizations, on a much larger scale," said Sgt. Jason Grellner of the Franklin County, Mo., Narcotics Enforcement Unit.