Meth Shield is the newest technology being installed in pharmacies across western Kansas. It's a tested and proven system that has decreased the number of independent meth labs in Australia by nearly 50 percent.

The KBI and Kansas Board of Pharmacy are hoping the program will have the same results in Kansas.

Meth Shield will act as an electronic log book that ties individual pharmacies to law enforcement in real-time. Garden City Pharmacy is the first pharmacy in the nation to have the program installed.

Pharmacist Dick Monical says the new technology makes tracking the sale of medications, which can be used to make meth, a lot easier.

Meth Shield is a pilot program at this time that will run for one year in 128 pharmacies and drug stores across 62 Kansas counties.

Monical says he hopes the program works, so legitimate consumers can continue to have access to the medications their families need.

"If this works we'll continue to sell the decongestant. If it doesn't work,
they'll either have to move it to prescription or come up with a system
that's more viable," Monical said.

For now, the pilot program is starting off in independently owned pharmacies. It will then branch out to chain pharmacies who have their own electronic log books, that will then become included in the Meth Shield network.