METH MOVE IS TIMELY

When Calgary police Chief Jack Beaton visited the Herald editorial
board recently, he talked about how crystal meth is such a dangerous
drug that even the addicts on the street are staying away from it.

Anything that can be done to save young lives from this terrible
scourge should be done. The Alberta government has moved with laudable
swiftness to take preventive measures by ordering that 17
over-the-counter decongestants with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine as
their main ingredient must find a new home behind the counter.

The new rule is necessary because a voluntary program wasn't
effective, with some pharmacists confused about which medicines could
be left out on the shelves.

Removing these drugs from easy access won't solve the entire problem,
but along with the additional treatment beds opened for addicts, it is
a welcome part of a multi-pronged approach to combating the evils of
this particular drug.