Pubdate: Tue, 25 Jan 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)

ILLEGAL DRUG TRADE MAY AGGRAVATE COLDS

Not the worst of the inconveniences and expenses passed on to the general 
public by drug abusers is the prospect of finding it more difficult to 
purchase certain over the counter cold and allergy medicines.

Some of the remedies for a stuffy nose contain pseudoephedrine, a chemical 
that's part of the recipe for cooking methamphetamine, a highly potent 
illegal drug that gives users instant and long-lasting euphoria.

So legislators are looking for ways to control and/or restrict sales of 
drugs containing the chemical in an effort to curtail its illegal use. This 
is bound to have an adverse effect on innocent consumers who occasionally 
take cold and hay fever remedies.

Again, there are worse consequences of the drug trade, such as murder, 
theft and tragic accidents. But this one isn't to be sneezed at. Or is it?
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MAP posted-by: Beth