Pubdate: Wed, 02 Nov 2005 Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN) Copyright: 2005 The Leader-Post Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361 Author: Veronica Rhodes COLD DRUGS FACE RESTRICTIONS Some common cold medications will be moved behind the pharmacist's counter in Saskatchewan in a move to curb crystal meth production. Graham Addley, minister of Healthy Living Services, announced Tuesday the sale of cough and cold products solely containing pseudoephedrine will be restricted. Pseudoephedrine is one of the key ingredients used for the production of crystal methamphetamine. "We will be limiting and putting the precursors to crystal meth behind the counter in pharmacies," said Addley, who made the announcement in co-operation with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists. Seventeen single-ingredient pseudoephedrine products will now only be available through a pharmacist and a single-transaction limit of 3,600 milligrams, or about 50 pills. The restricted products include well-known brands, such as Sudafed, Triaminic and Benylin. The change came into effect Tuesday but retailers and suppliers have a one-month transition period. Sale of products that have multiple ingredients including pseudoephedrine will not be restricted. "The whole variety of cough and cold products is quite extensive. If we were to restrict the sale to the dispensary of all cough and cold remedies, it would be untenable for the pharmacists," said Ray Joubert, registrar of the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacists. "With limiting the restriction to just single entity (pseudoephedrine) products, that is only 10 or 12 of the much larger variety of products that are out so it makes it more manageable." In making the announcement, Addley admitted the government is being proactive. But the move would only address the small amount of crystal meth produced in a home lab. Addley explained 80 to 90 per cent of all crystal meth in North America is produced in super labs, using commercial bulk-quantity ephedrine. The federal government regulates the sale of ephedrine. Saskatchewan Party MLA June Draude was pleased by the government's announcement, but pointed out it may have little effect on crystal meth use in the province. "I don't think it will make a huge difference personally except for the signal that it sends, that the government is actually doing something," said Draude. At Premier Lorne Calvert's meeting on crystal meth in June, western Canadian politicians agreed to come up with a plan by Oct. 1 to put restrictions on the sale of medicines containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Manitoba also announced similar restrictions on cold products Tuesday. Cough and cold products containing pseudoephedrine will be reclassified under The Drug Schedules Regulations, 1997, meaning they can only be sold in pharmacies and must be kept behind the counter. Currently, the products are available in a wide range of businesses including gas stations and convenience stores. - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFlorida)