Okla. House panel kills anti-meth prescription bill

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Despite impassioned pleas from district attorneys to limit access to a key ingredient used to make meth, a House committee has narrowly rejected a bill that would require a prescription to purchase certain cold medicines.

The House Public Health Committee on Tuesday voted 7-6 against the bill that would have required a prescription to purchase tablets containing pseudoephedrine. A similar bill was killed last week in a Senate committee, which means the issue has little chance of being revived this session.

Drug company lobbyists fiercely opposed the bill and aired radio advertisements against it. Groups representing doctors, pharmacists and grocers also opposed the bill.

All 27 district attorneys in the state supported the measure, along with police and narcotics agents.