Pubdate: Fri, 06 Jan 2006
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2006 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502
Author: Kevin Rollason

SOME COLD REMEDIES HEADING BEHIND COUNTER

Pharmacists' Group OK's Anti-Meth Move

STEPS to restrict access to remedies that spell cold and flu relief
for adults and children will now give headaches to illegal crystal
meth drug manufacturers.

Manitoba's pharmacists voted unanimously at a special meeting on
Wednesday night to agree to the provincial government's strategy of
restricting the sale of 17 single-source pseudoephedrine products by
putting them behind the counter at pharmacies.

The pharmacists also voted to restrict the amount sold at any one time
to 3,600 milligrams, or an average of about 60 tablets.

Pseudoephedrine is a key component used to illegally manufacture
crystal meth. Restricting access to the drug is part of the province's
$6-million, three-year plan to restrict supply and reduce demand for
crystal meth here.

It also means that many stores where Manitobans buy these drugs, which
include some popular products like Sudafed Decongestant 12-hour
caplet, can no longer sell them. But Stan Halbesma, owner of Harry's
Food on Portage Avenue, said he's not unhappy that his customers will
have to go to a drugstore if they want the affected cold and flu remedies.

"I'm 100 per cent behind this decision," Halbesma said
yesterday.

"I'm not always in agreement with government decisions, but I am with
this one. It's such a terrible, terrible, scary problem with youth and
society that it has to take precedence over business."

Crystal methamphetamine, or crystal meth for short, is a highly
addictive and potentially lethal drug that currently is more prevalent
in the Prairie provinces than the rest of the country.

A series of Free Press stories late last year found the prime
ingredients needed to make crystal meth were still easily available in
Winnipeg, even though the federal government enacted tougher rules in
2003 restricting their sale.

The Free Press investigation also found making crystal meth is easy
using a stovetop and some specialized equipment once you have
pseudoephedrine.

Last month, the province joined Saskatchewan and Alberta to force
pharmacists to take certain cold remedies out of their aisles and
behind their counters. Ontario and British Columbia are considering
similar actions.

Theresa Oswald, the province's healthy living minister, said she's
pleased the pharmacists agreed with the province on the need to
restrict the drug's sale.

"It was in many aspects a formality," Oswald admitted. "There are 17
products which will now be restricted. But the door for us is not
closed -- if we find cookers become sophisticated enough to use
multi-ingredient ones we'll take a look at restricting those."

Ron Guse, registrar of the Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association, said
Jan. 15 is the date picked for non-pharmacies to stop selling the remedies.

Guse said non-pharmacies can still sell cold and flu remedies that
include multiple-entity pseudoephedrine products because the
single-entity ones are the "more desirable" ones used by illegal labs
at this time.

"Hopefully this will prevent a problem from blossoming," he
said.

Guse said people with colds or flus who only need a decongestant
should go to the drugstore counter and ask for a single-entity
pseudoephedrine product, while those with other symptoms should grab a
multiple-entity one from the shelves.

Don't Look for These on the Shelves

The cold and flu products that will only be sold behind the counter at
a pharmacy starting Jan. 15 include:

* Drixoral ND long-acting tab

* Benylin D for Infants

* Sudafed Decongestant Children's Chewable Tablet

* Sudafed Decongestant Extra Strength Tablet

* Non-drowsy Regular Strength Contac Cold 12 hour

* Triaminic Pediatric Oral Cold Drops -- 7.5 mg/0.8 ml
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake