Pubdate: Sat, 10 Jul 2004
Source: Red Deer Express (CN AB)
Copyright: 2004 Red Deer Express
Contact:  http://www.reddeerexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2920
Author: Johnnie Bachusky
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ANTI-METH MEASURES PRAISED

Central Alberta pharmacies are vowing to comply with a provincial college 
order to restrict access to cold remedies used to manufacture the deadly 
methamphetamine drug.

"These single entity products will be put behind the counter. I want to 
make sure the public is safe," said Dev Aggarwal, pharmacist at Red Deer's 
West Park IDA Drugs. "We are doing everything in our power to the limit the 
use for drug users."

The Alberta College of Pharmacies is asking Alberta's 998 community and 
hospital pharmacies to voluntarily place products that contain ephedrine or 
pseudoephedrine as a single therapeutic ingredient, such as Sudafed, behind 
the prescription counter. As well, pharmacies are being asked to restrict 
the sale of all such products to a maximum of 3,600 mg of pseudoephedrine 
and 400 mg of ephedrine.

"We are going to comply. Our head office has a plan by the end of the month 
for signage, advertising and product placement," said Walter Hackett, 
pharmacist at Lacombe Rexall Pharmacy."

The college's directive is being hailed by police forces who view 
methamphetamine as a growing social and enforcement problem.

"The problem is fairly significant. It's very dangerous, addictive and easy 
to manufacture," said Red Deer city RCMP Insp. Peter Calvert. "The success 
rate to manufacture first-timers is high, about 80 per cent."

Calvert said Red Deer Mounties are not seeing a trafficking problem with 
the drug, but are seeing "significant" issues with possession.

However, RCMP crime statistics for the first six months of 2004 show five 
methamphetamine trafficking arrests, a 150 per cent increase over the same 
period of 2003.

While Calvert is praising the college's initiative, he said the federal 
government also needs to become proactive by strengthening the Controlled 
Drugs and Substances Act to regulate the distribution of ephedrine and 
pseudoephedrine -- and get it off the front counters of stores.

"They can't keep burying their heads in the sand," said Calvert. "We have 
to put greater penalties on getting caught with this stuff."
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MAP posted-by: Beth