Pubdate: Wed, 12 Apr 2006
Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN)
Copyright: 2006 The Leader-Post Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361
Author: Karen Brownlee, with files from Veronica Rhodes

CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

Pharmacies will be the only retailers allowed to sell cough and cold 
remedies containing ingredients that can be misused to make crystal 
meth, says Saskatchewan's minister of healthy living services.

Crystal meth is made of a variety of chemicals, including ephedrine 
and pseudoephedrine in cold and allergy products.

A long list of cold and allergy products -- including brands such as 
Sinutab and Sudafed -- will no longer be allowed for sale in grocery 
or convenience stores following an announcement by Graham Addley on 
Tuesday. Those stores will have a transition period to wind down 
their sales of these products.

The news is welcomed by police and pharmacists, but not by grocery stores.

"From the Joe Public perspective, I can understand if someone with a 
bad cold in a small community is upset (with the announcement) 
because the only drugstore is in the next town," said Sgt. Jerome 
Engele of Saskatoon's integrated drug unit.

"But from a police perspective, this is good news. It's good to hear 
the government is recognizing the dangers of crystal meth."

Those products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine will need to 
be rescheduled by Saskatchewan Health under the province's drug 
scheduling regulations.

By making them a Schedule III drug, only pharmacies can legally sell them.

The change was recommended by the National Association of Pharmacy 
Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). It is something the Saskatchewan 
College of Pharmacists supports.

"There will be a modest negative impact on access," the National Drug 
Scheduling Advisory Committee (NDSAC) said in its comments following 
its recommendations.

"But (there will be) a significant gain in improved opportunity for 
focusing efforts to train sales personnel, monitor sales and detect 
potential abuses."

The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers hoped the government 
would not make the announcement. It is concerned this is an attempt 
to restrict competition.

The province first restricted the sale of medications containing 
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine last November. Products containing only 
those ingredients were moved behind pharmacy counters. Manitoba and 
Alberta pharmacies also made this move.

Addley explained Saskatchewan's decision to NDSAC in December, a 
committee of NAPRA.

"(NDSAC officials) have agreed with that position but they've 
extended it to the multiple entities saying it should be sold only in 
pharmacies," said Addley.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman