A CURE FOR THE COMMON METH LAB

ELLENSBURG — Super 1 Foods has taken a stance against the illegal
manufacturing of methamphetamines by pulling certain over the counter
medications off its shelves.

A drug found primarily in cold relievers — psuedoephedrine — is commonly
used in the production of methamphetamines, or crank as it is known on the
street. Super 1 Manager Billy Nobles said the decision to pull these
certain drugs from his shelves was an easy one.

"We identified certain products that have ingredients that can be distilled
down into an illegal drug," Nobles said. "We have taken them off the shelf."

In their place are scannable, plastic-coated cards bearing a photograph of
the product and another card informing customers of the change in store policy.

"People can come in, get a scanner card, present it to a checker and that
person will get the item for them," Nobles said. "We made the decision to
sell these items on a face-to-face basis."

Taking the items off the shelves little more that two weeks ago, Nobles
said the store was directed by their parent company, Rosaurers Corporation,
to comply with an ongoing cooperative effort that began with the Spokane
Police Department.

"They (Rosaurers) started this in Spokane and decided to do it in all their
stores," Nobles said. "Last November or December, I found a grocery sack
full of empty (drug) packages near the street. They were all brands, both
national and private labels, and from at least three different retailers.
It wasn't a hard decision to make to pull these items from our shelves."

Nobles said his customers have been supportive of the new policy and have
expressed their appreciation for the store's efforts.

"Everyone has been supportive," Nobles said. "By doing this, it puts a
level of control on it. Although there is no legislation about this, every
now and then there is an issue where our company feels it needs to make a
stand. This is an opportunity as a member of the community to make sure
there is a legal use of these products."

Of the two other major grocery stores in the Ellensburg area, Safeway has
also pulled these drugs from their shelves, but for different reasons.
Albertson's Food and Drug has not pulled the items and has no plans to in
the immediate future, store Manager Nicole Campbell said.

"They were pulled because of theft," store Manager Devar Gleed said. "We
had a couple of instances where it was being shoplifted in large
quantities, so now we sell it out of the pharmacy only. We still carry the
complete line of these items so customers can still buy them. We made the
decision to sell only through our pharmacy because of theft."

Because the over-the-counter medicine is becoming a controlled substance
due to abuse by the drug counterculture, the Ellensburg Police Department
is pleased local retailers are taking a stand and making it more difficult
for misusers to buy the products.

"It is the responsible thing to do," EPD Capt. Ross Green said. "It is
obvious that these ingredients are used to make methamphetamines and that
sick people don't need 10 to 15 boxes to get over it (their cold). I think
it's a responsible thing to make it more difficult for these people to try
to get it." "This is a good demonstration on how a company can respond
without government intervention," Nobles said. "I see this as becoming a
trend and I'm happy my company chose to take this stance. In a small way it
is sending a strong message against illegal drug use."