[amluto]

In places with low rates of shoplifting (i.e. most places), this never seemed to be an issue.

In any event, the restrictions on pseudoephedrine had huge societal costs (as a proxy, apparently at least $1.7B/yr is spent on useless “decongestants” [0] as a result), and I would hope it at least had corresponding benefits. But it doesn’t seem that meth has gotten any less available.

[0] Presumably more. After all, if people have trouble buying a decongestant that works, might as well buy a homeopathic “decongestant” instead, which is probably safer than phenylephrine while being no less effective.

[P_I_Staker]

It's more available and cheaper than ever, can be made in bulk cheaply, resulting in a more harmful product.