Pubdate: Tue, 26 Sep 2006
Source: Burlington Free Press (VT)
Copyright: 2006 Burlington Free Press
Contact:  http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/632
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

A NECESSARY HASSLE AT THE DRUG COUNTER

It's going to be an even bigger pain to get a sniffle  in Vermont
starting Saturday, when a new state and  federal law requires
consumers to essentially register  their purchase of specific
over-the-counter cold  remedies.

This is a necessary inconvenience -- for shoppers and  pharmacists
alike -- because an ingredient found in  these medications is key in
the manufacturing of  methamphetamines, addictive drugs with names
like  crystal ice, crank, speed and black beauties.

These drugs can cause brain damage, psychotic behavior,  body
convulsions, open sores from picking at skin, and  death.
Methamphetamines are "cooked" in makeshift  laboratories and involve
highly flammable materials  that can ignite, explode and threaten
surrounding areas  with fire and toxic fumes. Everyone nearby can be
at  risk, even the innocent.

At this point, Vermont is ahead of the threat. It is  important to
keep that lead.

Meth labs have long been a problem in the West and  Midwest, but are
moving into New England, including New  Hampshire, according to
published reports.

The U.S. Drug Administration reported that only one  such operation
has been found in Vermont. That's one  too many.

It's an inconvenience for pharmacists to keep a drug  behind the
counter, much less to register the name and  address of the purchaser
and the amount sold, as the  new law requires. A few pharmacists have
already begun  restricting access to the cold medications, while
others are awaiting the legal deadline to do so.

Given time, however, the market will probably solve  this problem on
its own. Some drug companies are  adjusting their formulas to remove
the controversial  ingredient and adding labels that read "Does not
contain pseudoephedrine." These versions use another  ingredient,
phenylephrine, which is not an included in  a methamphetamine recipe.

For now, however, Vermonters will have to be patient  with the
regulations.

This pro-active approach to cracking down on crank is  important for
Vermont because it is easier to prevent a  drug problem from moving in
than to solve one after it  has arrived.
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MAP posted-by: Derek