Pubdate: Sun, 30 Oct 2005
Source: Pacific Daily News (US GU)
Copyright: 2005 Pacific Daily News
Contact: http://www.guampdn.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.guampdn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1122
Author: Tammy Anderson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

BILL MAY HELP LIMIT PRODUCTION OF 'ICE'

Danny Olchondra knows how devastating the drug crystal methamphetamine
can be. He's seen the drug slowly destroy the life of a loved one.

"When (the person) is on the drug, (they are) very energetic. When the
drug is gone, out of the system, (the person) sleeps a lot," the
44-year-old Sinajana resident, explaining how the addictive drug has
affected the life of his relative. "For me, emotionally, it is really
frustrating."

This past week, three men were sentenced for either producing,
smuggling or possessing the drug, commonly known as ice. Although
officials are becoming more skilled at catching the drug before it
enters Guam's borders, U.S. Attorney Leonardo Rapadas has said that
may mean Guam will see more in-house production and possibly double
the number of defendants in ice cases by this time next year.

To combat the production of ice on island, a bill was drafted in May
by Sen. Mike Cruz, R-Piti, that would regulate some over-the-counter
medications that could be used to "cook" methamphetamine.

If Bill 140 is passed, consumers may see medication like Sudafed,
which contains pseudoephedrine and can be used to produce ice, behind
lock and key. The law would also regulate how much of the medication
consumers could purchase within a certain time period.

Some residents, including Olchondra, said they don't mind the extra
inconvenience when purchasing some cold medicines if it helps fight
Guam's ice problem. But, Olchondra said he thinks the possible
legislation needs to include more rehabilitation programs.

"It is a very good idea, but I think a person who is a drug addict
needs therapy," he said. "There should be more rehab centers."

Cruz said laws similar to Bill 140 can be an important part to
fighting labs that manufacture methamphetamine on Guam.

"We need to do what we can to try to limit the amount of production
that is going on ... especially given the comments of the U.S.
attorney," Cruz said.

He said Congress is already working on a nationwide law that would
mirror the regulations under Bill 140, but the federal law may not
happen for another year, and he feels Guam needs this legislation
sooner than that.

"We noticed that it was already being done in other states and we felt
that Guam, having a problem with ice distribution ... is a place that
needs regulations," Cruz added.

Megadrug pharmacist Arthur Mariano said even though most pharmacies
already keep medications containing pseudoephedrine behind the
counter, the bill may be a good idea because of the small stores on
island that do not.

"I think it would definitely help (limit) the illegal production of
ice," Mariano said.

For example, Megadrug used to stock a generic version of Sudafed
bottles containing 100 tablets, but stopped carrying that product and
moved it into the pharmacy, Mariano said. MegaDrug now only carries
small packages, and the pharmacists "tend to limit the amount of
packages we give to the patient," he added.

Dr. Chris Dombrowski, assistant medical director of the Harmon
Doctor's clinic, said he would rather push people "to treatment
instead of incarceration."

Dombrowski said passing Bill 140 would not really achieve anything
because drug abuse is a medical issue and not one that should be
treated under the criminal justice system.

"Sure, it is going to make a little impact in the beginning, but what
are people going to do? Sure there will be a slight decrease, but
people will turn to other things," he said.

Offering more treatment and harm-reduction techniques is a better
solution instead of creating more laws that result in prison time,
Dombrowski said.

Education, Awareness

Yona resident, 50-year-old Lolita Leon Guerrero disagrees.

"If it has been used in the wrong way, I think (Bill 140) would be
worth it to prevent the making of it. And if we don't control it, it
will be worse," the mother of three said.

She said more education about drugs also needs to be offered for the
community so everyone can be aware of the signs of drug use.

Antonio Marquez, resident agent for the Drug Enforcement
Administration on Guam, said education is a big part of the process,
but he also said that if the bill passes, it may help curb the problem
that surprised him when he first arrived on island in September.

"I am amazed at what you are seeing here with the drug problem. Guam
has so much heritage and culture," Marquez said. But that heritage
dies when people are thrown in jail or killed because of chemicals
they put into their body, he said.

"This drug problem needs to be solved. I think (Bill 140) is very
necessary because of what is happening here," he added.

"To make ice you can go into a hardware store or drug store and buy
everything you need," he said, adding that one of the most obvious
ways to help battle the problem is by tightening controls on part of
the source.

Sidebar: At A Glance

Bill 140

The bill aims to limit the sale of items that contain the chemical
pseudoephedrine, which is used to make the drug ice, by requiring
grocery stores, general merchandise stores, drug stores and other
retail shops to limit the number of sales and volume of sales to
walk-in customers.

If Passed, The Law Would:

prohibit a retailer from selling more than 1,440 milligrams to the
same person within 24 hours;

prohibit a pharmacy from sellingor more than 9 grams of
pseudoephedrine to the same person in a 30-day period.

Retailers who sell pseudoephedrine knowing it is intended to be used
to manufacture ice would also be guilty under the statute.

Under the law, retailers can be convicted of third-degree felonies;
buyers can be convicted of petty misdemeanors.

The bill does not make provisions for liquid, capsule or dissolvable
strip form in which pseudoephedrine is found.

Pseudoephedrine

The drug is normally used to reduce swelling in sinuses.
Over-the-counter drug products either contain pseudoephedrine as the
sole active ingredient or in combination with other
ingredients.

The Problem

Drug traffickers covet pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, which they use
to manufacture methamphetamine, a controlled substance better known as
"ice." Single active ingredient pseudoephedrine products are most
favored by methamphetamine cooks because they give the highest yield
and purity. The conversion of over-the-counter pseudoephedrine-containing
products is one of the major contributing factors to the
methamphetamine situation in the United States. These purchases
violate federal law and may expose the seller to criminal and civil
penalties.

Pseudoephedrine Products

Common cold products including, but not limited to Sudafed, Tylenol
Cold, Advil Cold, Drixoral, Benadryl Allergy & Cold Tablets,
Robitussin Cold Sinus & Congestion, as well as many generic brands.

What's Next

Sen. Mike Cruz said Bill 140, which he proposed, may be discussed in
the upcoming session of the 28th Guam Legislature.

To The Point

Some residents and lawmakers said the proposed legislation that would
regulate the sale and placement of pseudoephedrine by retailers may
help fight Guam's problem with the drug "ice." 
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