The UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is reviewing the issue and has been advised that medication containing the chemicals ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in branded products such as Lemsip and Sudafed, should become available only on prescription. The proposals would affect the sale of nearly 90 over-the-counter products.
Crystal meth is a highly addictive and can lead to paranoia, violent behavior and suicidal thoughts.
The pharmaceutical industry opposes making the drugs prescription only claiming it is a disproportionate response to the problem in the UK where thera has been only one known case of a lab using these products to make crystal meth.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, has also said that customers should only be allowed to buy one pack of 12 tablets at a time.
The agencies proposals also include restrictions on the pack sizes of these medications. The regulator has said it will extend its review until June.