Cold Pill Sales are Not Soaring at Hermann Missouri Pharmacies: Pharmacists haven't seen a jump in sales

Pseudoephedrine blister pack

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An headline and bi-line, in the top-stories section, of  (November 12, 2010)  emissourian.com, reports as follows:

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Cold Pill Sales Soar

In Towns With No Prescription Law

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This story claims that, "Since Missouri implemented a computer monitoring system to track purchases of pseudoephedrine products, sales have soared at pharmacies in communities that don't have laws requiring prescriptions to buy cold pills."...Click Here to read their Story

Hermann Missouri was not named, specifically in the story!


Two Local  Pharmacies were called, by this Blogger, by telephone, Hermann Pharmacy and Berlener Pharmacy and were asked, "Is this the Pharmacist...can I talk to the Pharmacist, please."

The Question asked: "Since the passage of laws, pertaining to the sale of Pseudo-ephedrine" (key ingredient needed to manufacture methamphetamine) "have you seen a jump in sales of such?"


The Answer: "No......"

Pharmacist (owner) Steve Ciegel, who agreed to be quoted for this report,  stated , "No...we really haven't seen a jump in sales." (of Pseudo-ephedrine).  Pharmacist Ciegel also added "...I know the majority of my customers and if I don't..."(insinuated if he has a suspicion of use other than intended)"...I will not sell to them" (the potential customer).

When asked; "If he (Pharmacist Ciegel) thought the Headline, 
'Cold Pill Sales Soar:
In Towns With No Prescription Law' 
was a bit over-blown he answered, without hesitation,
"Yes, I believe so." (that the headline over states the facts)


PLEASE NOTE:  Hermann Pharmacy answered our initial Question, "No, not really". (Since the passage of laws, pertaining to the sale of Pseudo-ephedrine, have you seen a jump in sales of such) but declined to be quoted further and hung-up when asked if we could quote.

Also, I AM NOT A REPORTER, just a concerned citizen (and Blogger), with what I feel are legitimate questions.  I was up-front, on the telephone, that I have a local, News Blog!

I informed both Pharmacists that, (before asking my initial question)  "I run a local 'News Blog' and I was curious to know if..."(see question above). 

I did not contact any locally established Corporate chain-store/franchises, as their managers are not usually authorized to answer direct questions pertaining to sales.


Further-more, I do NOT have a dog in the fight!  If the community feels it wants or needs certain laws in place, I am all for it.  

I am and will be, in the future, a concerned citizen who is only seeking the truth.  If at times that means exposing biased News Reporting....so be it!!!


I thank you for reading and hope you feel inclined to return.
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Reciprocal links:
http://HermannHearsay.blogspot.com/(Hermann Area News, Commentary & Discussion)