Indiana lawmakers back tighter cold meds limits

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers are backing tighter limits on how much consumers may buy of cold medications often used to make methamphetamine but not the tougher measure sought by several mayors.

Officials from Evansville, Muncie, Terre Haute and other cities told a House committee Wednesday they believed state law should require a doctor's prescription to buy pseudoephedrine-based products.

Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler says the city's police department spent more than 2,000 man-hours dealing with about 60 meth labs last year, with more costs from cleanups from fires and dangerous chemicals.

Several committee members said requiring prescriptions would be unfair to law-abiding people.

The committee approved a bill that would limit purchase of the medicines to about 61 grams per year. That's about an eight-month supply of the current law's monthly limit.