Pubdate: Sat, 02 Apr 2005
Source: Journal Times, The (Racine, WI)
Copyright: 2005 The Journal Times
Contact:  http://www.journaltimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1659
Author: Tom Sheehan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

DEBATABLE: SHOULD SALES OF DECONGESTANT BE LIMITED?

MADISON - A legislative committee Wednesday prescribed stronger
medicine for treating the state's burgeoning methamphetamine problem.
But it probably won't help cure your cold.

Most cold medicines containing the popular decongestant
pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed, would be banned from Wisconsin store
shelves under a beefed-up version of a "meth" bill proposed Wednesday.

The bill's extra strength drew opposition. Critics, including grocers
and pharmacists, said it would inconvenience consumers more than it
would curb meth production.

Should the sales of decongestants be limited to cut down on meth
production?

The proposal would require consumers who want to purchase more than a
one-day supply of pseudoephedrine in liquid-or gel-capsule form, to
visit a pharmacy, sign a registry and present a photo ID, said state
Sen. Sheila Harsdorf, R-River Falls, who introduced the bill and
revisions with state Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson.

Harsdorf and Rhoades want to eliminate unregulated, over-the-counter
sales of products containing pseudoephedrine, which "meth cookers"
use. State and local law enforcement officials testified at a hearing
Wednesday that the ban is needed to combat the spread of the
drug-related crimes and health problems.

Most Wisconsin meth arrests have occurred in rural areas, particularly
in the northwest. But problems are spreading into more urban areas,
officials testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Children,
Families, Aging and Long Term Care.

The committee approved the revised bill over the objections of the
Wisconsin Grocers Association, which contends it goes too far for
grocers and consumers.

"Nobody argues this is a problem, but there has to be a reasonable way
to limit to access to these creeps who use this to cook meth, yet
recognize ... those who use this for legitimate purposes," said
Brandon Scholz, president of the association.

The bill's original version didn't restrict liquid or gel capsule
sales, just sales of solid-tablet pseudoephedrine to 9 grams, or the
equivalent of 300 30-milligram tablets per month. The revised bill
lowers that limit to 6 grams per month.

The Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin had supported the bill before
Wednesday's revisions, said Tom Engels, a spokesman for the group. The
bill fails to even address Internet sales, which account for a part of
the problem, Engels said.

Under the revised bill, consumers could buy a one-day supply of liquid
or gel capsules each 24-hour period at a retail store without a
pharmacy. But those stores would have to keep their stock locked up
behind the counter, and consumers still would have to register and
show an ID, said Chris Schneider, Harsdorf's policy advisor.

Some grocers in areas that have been hit hardest by meth-related
crimes support the revised bill because they've witnessed the
problems, Harsdorf said. Wisconsin needs to have laws as restrictive
as one recently approved in Iowa and another that passed the Minnesota
state Senate, Harsdorf said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin