There are too many people who need this drug for legitimate purposes. Many of these people cannot afford to go to the doctor every time they need a refill. Here are the real costs of this mess:

Lost days at work to see a doctor that results in lost productivity; co-pays of $5-25, office visit charges; unpaid ER bills from those who do not have insurance (there are a lot of people with no insurance right now); longer waits at doctor's offices and "urgi-cares" causing people with more important problems to be discouraged; possible long term health effects from people not getting treated properly because they cannot afford to go to the doctor for a prescription.

Will Medicaid/Medicare and private insurance even cover office visits for a simple sinus infection repeatedly? Or will patients be told by their insurance they are being frivolous? It is already happening with Medicaid patients who use the ER on the weekend or after hours too much. Our low-income and elderly cannot afford this ordinance.

I know Franklin County has a huge meth problem, and I commend Sgt. Grellner and his team for the strides they have made in the fight against it. However, I do not think this is the right way to go. When the news was released last week that Washington approved the ordinance, I simply chose to shop in Union. Now Union and St. Clair are hopeful it will pass in their towns. I will shop in St. Louis County.

This is too costly to law-abiding citizens. We must find another way. Since you already have to show an ID to purchase it, create a database and make it against the law to sell to anyone with a drug conviction.

Afraid of fake IDs? Make us show two forms of ID. Use fingerprint scanners to purchase it. If you can track customers at the Tan Company with fingerprint scanners, we can track our drug purchases with them as well. I have always been in favor of putting fingerprints on our IDs.

Hang the repeat offenders picture up in the pharmacy as a habitual user/buyer.

The cookers of this toxic drug will go to any lengths to get what they need. I know of a situation where a guy drove from Washington to Kirkwood to St. Peters to buy pills. You think this will stop them? It only creates higher prices for the longer drive, or possibly more rolling labs endangering many more people. If you pass this in Franklin County, they will just go to St. Louis County or Crawford County. If you pass it in all of Missouri, Sauget is only a short drive away.

Aldermen, police chiefs, please think before passing this bill. Can your grandmother afford her medication? Can your co-worker with extreme sinus problems afford to miss more work?

We, the responsible users of this medication, cannot afford this law. And please do not tell me something lower in strength works just fine. It doesn't. This isn't a choice that should be made by our leaders. This should be put to public vote. The public is who will be affected, not your meth cookers.