Pubdate: Tue, 08 Mar 2005
Source: Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Charleston Daily Mail
Contact:  http://www.dailymail.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/76
Author: Jake Stump, Daily Mail Staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

OKLA. PHARMACISTS ENDORSE METH LAW

Pharmacists in Oklahoma, where a year-old state law has put a major dent in 
meth use, say West Virginians should support a similar statute that locks 
certain cold medicines behind drugstore counters.

Some West Virginia pharmacists, however, have expressed apprehension about 
the burden that would impose on employees.

Gov. Joe Manchin's proposal is modeled after Oklahoma's "Trooper Nik Green 
Act," named for a state policeman killed in 2003 by a meth addict. 
Pharmacists there say the benefits outweigh the inconvenience.

"It requires a little paperwork, but it's not a big deal," said Dani Lynch, 
owner of Thrifty Pharmacy in Oklahoma City. "We think it's a wonderful 
thing. It has reduced our meth labs considerably, and we want to push it 
onto other states."

Since the law took effect, meth lab busts are down 80 percent, which 
reflects the difficulty that drug abusers are having in obtaining 
pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient of meth.

Customers in Oklahoma must present identification to pharmacy employees 
when purchasing cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine. These medicines 
also are sold only at pharmacies.

A person is limited to nine grams in a 30-day period. Someone who takes a 
Claritin 24-hour tablet every day for a month consumes 7.2 grams of 
pseudoephedrine. A tablet of Sudafed contains 30 milligrams of the drug, so 
it would take 300 of those to make up nine grams.

drugstores in Oklahoma must keep these medicines behind the counter and 
record the purchases.

"We've turned a couple of people into the Bureau of Narcotics if they've 
reached the limit and tried to buy more," Lynch said.

While the law has cut back on the number of lab busts, Lynch believes meth 
makers will find alternative ways to cook it.

"These guys are incredible wizards," Lynch said. "They'll be distilling 
toilet water before you know it to make meth."

The dramatic reduction in lab busts doesn't mean meth trafficking and abuse 
is down in the region.

"Our problem has become Texas' problem and other states' problems," Lynch 
said. "They arrested a guy in the metropolitan area the other day who 
loaded up in Dallas and tried to bring it in. It's a pathetic situation 
here with a whole generation of kids exposed to meth. Let them blow 
themselves up, but leave kids out of it."

Ken's Discount Pharmacy in Norman, Okla. fills between 800-1,000 
prescriptions a day. Since the pseudoephedrine law was passed in April, 
office manager Ken Fowler said the pharmacy has turned down only one person 
from buying cold medicine.

"As far as us personally, we have no problem with it," Fowler said. "If 
someone says, 'I need a Tylenol, my sinuses are killing me,' all we have to 
do is check our alphabetized records. I don't understand why anyone would 
be against it unless a guy comes in all whacked-out and raises Cain because 
he can't get any."

The State Pharmacy Board in Oklahoma conducts routine inspections of 
drugstores to ensure they're following the new law.

Within a year, all Oklahoma pharmacies will be logged onto a computerized 
central database that stores the records. That will make it harder for 
individuals to go from store-to-store to pick up these cold medicines.

Dr. Cindy Hamilton, an Oklahoma State Pharmacy Board inspector, said most 
of the problems experienced with the new law are communication breakdowns.

"Some don't understand everything they have to keep," Hamilton said. 
"They're leaving out information, but not on purpose. It's just an oversight."

Hamilton said pharmacies must record the name, address, date of birth, 
driver's license number, product being sold, quantity, date of sale and the 
customer's signature.

If a person needs more than the limit, they can obtain a prescription, she 
said.

Customers can also purchase the liquid forms of pseudoephedrine-containing 
drugs because they are excluded from the law.

"Liquid doesn't make a good meth," Hamilton said. "It's real sticky and it 
doesn't work. But we may have to pull those off the shelves if they ever 
discover a new recipe for that, too."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager