CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

Pharmacies will be the only retailers allowed to sell cough and cold
remedies containing ingredients that can be misused to make crystal
meth, says Saskatchewan's minister of healthy living services.

Crystal meth is made of a variety of chemicals, including ephedrine
and pseudoephedrine in cold and allergy products.

A long list of cold and allergy products -- including brands such as
Sinutab and Sudafed -- will no longer be allowed for sale in grocery
or convenience stores following an announcement by Graham Addley on
Tuesday. Those stores will have a transition period to wind down
their sales of these products.

The news is welcomed by police and pharmacists, but not by grocery stores.

"From the Joe Public perspective, I can understand if someone with a
bad cold in a small community is upset (with the announcement)
because the only drugstore is in the next town," said Sgt. Jerome
Engele of Saskatoon's integrated drug unit.

"But from a police perspective, this is good news. It's good to hear
the government is recognizing the dangers of crystal meth."

Those products containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine will need to
be rescheduled by Saskatchewan Health under the province's drug
scheduling regulations.

By making them a Schedule III drug, only pharmacies can legally sell them.

The change was recommended by the National Association of Pharmacy
Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). It is something the Saskatchewan
College of Pharmacists supports.

"There will be a modest negative impact on access," the National Drug
Scheduling Advisory Committee (NDSAC) said in its comments following
its recommendations.

"But (there will be) a significant gain in improved opportunity for
focusing efforts to train sales personnel, monitor sales and detect
potential abuses."

The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers hoped the government
would not make the announcement. It is concerned this is an attempt
to restrict competition.

The province first restricted the sale of medications containing
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine last November. Products containing only
those ingredients were moved behind pharmacy counters. Manitoba and
Alberta pharmacies also made this move.

Addley explained Saskatchewan's decision to NDSAC in December, a
committee of NAPRA.

"(NDSAC officials) have agreed with that position but they've
extended it to the multiple entities saying it should be sold only in
pharmacies," said Addley.