Original Article Dec 6, 3:15 AM EST New laws to track sale of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine PHOENIX (AP) -- Two new Phoenix laws require customers who buy any cold medication containing pseudoephedrine to write down their name, date of birth and address in a log book that shop owners will turn over to police each month. Under the laws that took effect Tuesday, retailers also will track the quantities of pseudoephedrine that customers buy. Pseudoephedrine is a crucial ingredient in the manufacturing of the illegal drug methamphetamine. "Meth is a huge, huge problem in our community and really across the nation," Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris said. "I think these laws are going to be effective because they're going to be a deterrent. Anything that makes it more difficult to get the materials to make methamphetamine is going to make it effective." Advertisement Law enforcement officials have busted nearly 150 meth labs in Phoenix during the last 12 months. Authorities said the logs will be a useful tool for the narcotics detectives. "It will give us direct information and let us spot trends in purchases," said Sgt. Don Sherrard of the Phoenix Police Department. "And it works on the paranoia that methamphetamine naturally creates. If they have to show ID, it's going to stop a lot of them from doing that." Retailers also are required to keep products that contain pseudoephedrine locked up or behind the counter. Cottonwood, Tucson and Camp Verde have approved similar laws, but Phoenix appears to be the first to include a forfeiture clause. That means that if police spot products with pseudoephedrine on open shelves instead of being restricted from public access, police can seize the medications and destroy them. The ordinance allows police to give one warning to store officials, and court hearings could be held before the products are destroyed. Customers without a current driver's license or passport or without a tribal, military or state-issued identification card will not be able to buy the products at all.