Pubdate: Wed, 08 Feb 2006
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Matthew Ramsey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS WITH METH INGREDIENTS TO STAY ON STORE SHELVES

'Not An Issue' In B.C., RCMP Insist

Over-the-counter medications containing ingredients used in making 
crystal methamphetamine will stay within reach in B.C.

Solicitor-General John Les and the College of Pharmacists of B.C. 
said there is no evidence to suggest retail products like Sudafed and 
Benadryl fuel meth manufacturing in this province and they will be 
allowed to remain on grocery store shelves.

Police agree.

"Right now, it's not an issue," said

Cpl. Scot Rintoul of the RCMP's drug awareness section. "Last year, 
there was not one meth lab [of the 30] we went to where cold remedies 
were used."

The same cannot be said for Washington state where so-called "Mom and 
Pop" or "Beavis and Butthead" meth labs using the medicines have 
blossomed. Police in Washington busted 1,350 in 2004 alone.

The larger issue in B.C., according to Rintoul, are significant gaps 
in regulations when it comes to the sale and possession of the 
precursor ingredients in bulk. Those gaps allow "super labs," 
facilities capable of producing meth at a high rate.

Federal law requires that companies importing, exporting, 
manufacturing and distributing the chemicals be licensed.

Licensed importers can then sell to other licence holders or private 
individuals, as long as those people fill out a purchase agreement 
and promise they are the end-users. Those agreements are not passed 
on to police or Health Canada, except by warrant.

The College of Pharmacists asked members to voluntarily restrict 
access to the medicinal products in question in 2004. Some stores 
have put the products behind the counter.

However, said Gerry Harrington of the Non-Prescription Drug 
Manufacturer's Association of Canada, the average pharmacy sells 
between 30 and 50 of the products daily.

Asking pharmacists to retrieve the medicines in question "is a huge 
new addition to the workloads," he said.

Harrington said B.C.'s approach of training employees to watch for 
suspicious purchases is effective. If the number of reports of 
suspicious sales of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products increases, 
the province will consider further measures.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom