Pubdate: Fri, 09 Mar 2001 Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (AR) Copyright: 2001 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Contact: 121 East Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72201 Website: http://www.ardemgaz.com/ Forum: http://www.ardemgaz.com/info/voices.html Author: Doug Thompson - Arkansas Democrat-Gazette AN AILING BILL TO RESTRICT SALES OF SOME COMMON COLD MEDICINES MADE A RECOVERY THURSDAY. Attempting to stem illegal production of methamphetamine, Rep. Jan Judy, D-Fayetteville, introduced House Bill 1417 in January. The bill restricts the sale of drugs containing pseudoephedrine, which is found in over-the-counter cold and allergy medicine. Some cold remedies are used to make methamphetamine in illegal home laboratories, according to law enforcement agencies supporting the bill. Judy's bill got an allergic reaction from retailers when the measure showed up before the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee last month. Judy agreed to amend the bill after a two-hour committee hearing Feb. 15. On Thursday, the committee recommended an amended version of the bill that allows the targeted cold remedies to be sold by most retailers, but in small quantities. No more than three packages containing no more than nine grams of the medication total can be sold in one transaction by retailers, if HB1417 becomes law. Exceeding the limit would be a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Judy's original bill would have allowed only pharmacists to sell the over-the counter drugs. Other changes in the bill's latest version include: Making the possession of more than 5 grams of ephedrine or more than 9 grams of pseudoephedrine or related substances sufficient evidence for a charge of intent to manufacture methamphetamine. This provision would not apply to medical professionals or licensed manufacturers, wholesalers or distributors of pharmaceuticals. The sale of any quantity of the cold remedies, however small, is illegal if the seller knows the purpose of the sale is to obtain ingredients for methamphetamine. The seller is also required to report a "suspicious transaction." These transactions are defined as those that "would lead a reasonable person to believe that the substance is likely to be used for the purpose" of making methamphetamine illegally. This includes numerous small purchases totaling more than $200. Prohibiting the sale of any of the restricted cold remedies to a person under 18 years old. Proof of age is required. The measure does not restrict sales of many children's cold remedies, which contain small amounts of the specified drugs. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart