Pubdate: Fri, 28 Jan 2005
Source: Leaf-Chronicle, The (US TN)
Copyright: 2005, The Leaf-Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.theleafchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1601

WAYS TO FOIL METH-MAKERS

A New Sudafed With a Different Ingredient
Will Soon Be Available

Tennesseans will soon have access to over-the-counter cold pills that
don't have the active ingredient used to make methamphetamine. Both
the federal government and the state of Tennessee have looked into
ways to keep pseudoephedrine, which is the main ingredient in many
popular over-the-counter cold and allergy relief medicines, out of the
hands of those who manufacture meth.

Washington and Nashville have both considered following Oklahoma's
example and requiring drugs with pseudoephedrine to be put behind
pharmacy counters.

Now, Pfizer Inc. plans to release to the United States an alternative
decongestant -- without pseudoephedrine -- that it has been selling in
Europe.

Sudafed PE contains phenylephrine, which cannot be converted into
meth. That means it could stay out safely on the shelves.

It will go on sale in February in the United States. Pfizer is selling
it as an alternative, but the original formula will still be available.

Gannett News Service reports that between October 2003 and August
2004, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration busted about 1,200 meth
labs in the state of Tennessee. The state also removed about 750
children from the custody of meth abuses in 2004.

Clearly, meth abuse is a problem in the state. What the government
needs to do is to strike a balance between allowing people to have
easy access to decongestants they need and preventing the criminals'
misuse of the product.

Other companies are urged follow Pfizer's lead and develop alternative
formulas for their cold relief medicines. After all, if the supply of
pseudoephedrine is reduced, it will become that much harder for
illegal suppliers to make meth in the first place. 
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MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPFFLorida)