Pubdate: Fri, 22 Jul 2005
Source: Enterprise-Journal, The (MS)
Copyright: 2005 The Enterprise-Journal
Contact:  http://www.enterprise-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/917
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

OREGON'S DRUG DEBATE

A bill that has wide support in the Oregon Legislature would take 
another step in fighting the scourge of crystal methamphetamine, the 
home-cooked drug made with popular over-the-counter cold medications.

The question is whether Oregon, if this particular law is passed, 
would take the wrong step in its efforts to restrict access to 
medications that contain pseudo-ephedrine, a key ingredient of crystal meth.

The state House of Representatives this week approved, by a 55-4 
vote, a measure to require people to have a doctor's prescription if 
they want to buy medicine that contains pseudo-ephedrine. Observers 
expect the bill to pass the Senate, and the governor also supports it.

Other supporters of the prescription-only bill include one 
representative who said the current laws -- restricting 
pseudoephedrine medications to pharmacies, keeping them behind the 
pharmacist's counter instead of on shelves and requiring buyers to 
show identification -- are not tough enough. The lawmaker said he and 
three colleagues shopped for cold medicines on Monday and in one hour 
got their hands on enough of it to make crystal meth to last four 
users for several weeks.

Should the bill become law, it will be an interesting test of how 
much inconvenience the public is willing to put up with in the fight 
against drug abuse. It seems unlikely that many people in Oregon who 
come down with a cold will bother to go get a prescription for their 
Sudafed from a doctor. It would be much easier, quicker and less 
expensive to go buy a different medication that remains available 
over the counter.

Enter the drug companies, who have recognized the problem 
pseudoephedrine is causing and already are marketing replacement 
medicines, which feature a substitute for the drug that cannot be 
used in meth labs.

While at least one drug company is running radio advertisements in 
Portland against the bill, the overwhelming vote in the House signals 
that lawmakers have already made their decision.

But if Oregon is going to take such drastic measures to fight crystal 
meth, it would seem wiser for lawmakers to just go on and ban 
medication with pseudoephedrine from being sold in the state. Any 
unscrupulous doctor or pharmacist could be bribed to prescribe or 
sell the medication, and make a hefty profit by doing it.

If drug companies are devising alternatives, better to insist on the 
sale of those medications instead of tempting meth addicts with pseudoephedrine.
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MAP posted-by: Beth