Lexington, Ky (WKYT) -"Counties that sell more Sudafed, we tend to find more meth labs," says Dr. Jeffery Talbert, UK Associate Professor & Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes & Policy.

University of Kentucky researchers, like Talbert expected to find the link between pseudoephedrine sales and methamphetamine production.

Over the course of a few months, researchers analyzed data from 2010 through Kentucky's Meth Check data.

Talbert and other researchers also learned that some counties are selling 500 times more of these pseudoephedrine products that the smaller ones.

" Why are people buying so much pseudoephedrine? And so the question is, you buy it for colds and allergies but if the sales are that much different...how can there be that much difference in colds and allergies in one county versus another," questioned Talbert.

Under new Kentucky law, a customer can only buy 7.2 grams of pseudoephedrine products per month. Before new legislation, customers could buy up to nine grams.

Pharmacists at Wheelers say they haven't noticed too much of a change since the new law went into effect. However, some expect that to change as we approach allergy and cold season.

"It may stop us for some of our legitimate customers that get a supply for them or their family as well. It may stop them from purchasing as much as they need for their family," says Claire Wheeler Love, Wheeler Pharmacy manager.

Many pharmacists support the new laws because they want to make it more difficult for those who plan to misuse the products.

Researchers within the College of Pharmacy plan to conduct new studies to see how the new legislation impacts these findings.