STORES MONITOR METH LAB DRUG

Some Calgary pharmacies were clearing space behind the counter Friday
to comply with a new provincial regulation designed to prevent
non-prescription decongestants from being used to make
methamphetamine.

For others, it was business as usual -- they had already moved
medications containing pseudoephedrine behind the counter as part of a
voluntary program launched by the Alberta College of Pharmacists in
2004.

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that can be made using
household chemicals and solvents to extract its key ingredient --
ephedrine or pseudoephedrine -- from over-the-counter
medications.

The province's rule affects 17 "single-entity" products which have
pseudoephedrine as the main active ingredient, such as extra-strength
and 12-hour varieties of Sudafed and Contac. Less-potent varieties and
brands that use pseudoephedrine in conjunction with other ingredients
can remain on store shelves.

"We're ahead of the legislation because we thought this was the
prudent thing to do," said John Tse, the general manager of pharmacies
for London Drugs.

While the other western provinces consider regulations similar to
Alberta's, London Drugs has already moved single-entity products
behind the counter across its entire 63-store chain.

The company also has a built-in function at checkouts that tells
cashiers to alert a pharmacist if the sale of any product containing
pseudoephedrine exceeds a certain quantity.

The measure is not solely to monitor suspicious purchases, but also
ensures legitimately ill customers aren't overmedicating, said Tse.

"It's also about their health," he said.

While larger retailers like London Drugs already had measures in
place, change was in order at independent operators like Douglass
Drugs on 16th Ave-nue N.E. "We'll move them behind the counter," said
Chuck Seto.

The rule change is part of a broader move by the provincial government
to address growing crystal meth use and production in Alberta.

Police have uncovered large-scale meth "superlabs" in the Edmonton
area, and, more recently, an operation hidden in a quonset on an
acreage north of Calgary earlier this year.

Agencies such as the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission are
encountering more addicts and AADAC opened 24 new treatment spaces for
youths addicted to crystal meth.

The Alberta government also formed a meth task force headed by Premier
Ralph Klein's wife, Colleen, to come up with strategies to combat the
drug.

Restricting access to over-the-counter medications has helped some
U.S. jurisdictions cut down on the amount of clandestine meth labs and
Alberta's move is being praised by local police.

"It throws up another obstacle (to criminals). This really helps to
alleviate the smaller labs that are hard to detect," said Staff Sgt.
Kevan Stuart of the Calgary police drug unit.

Indeed, the move is not a cure-all. The criminals who use
over-the-counter medications tend to be "mom and pop" operators who
are cooking meth for their own use and for people they know.

Criminal organizations have been exploiting loopholes in federal
regulations to obtain bulk quantities of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine
for use in meth. Health Canada now requires a licence for anyone
importing or exporting meth precursors like pseudoephedrine.
Possession of bulk amounts still has no licensing requirement.

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MEDICATIONS MOVED BEHIND THE COUNTER

Name Strength Size

Congest Aid 30 mg tablets 250

Contac Cold 12-Hour Non Drowsy 120 mg caplets 10 and
up

Decon NS 60 mg tablets 24

Drixoral ND Long Acting 120 mg tablets 10

Eltor 120 120 mg tablets 12 and up

Nasal + Sinus Decongestant Relief 60 mg tablets 24

PMS Pseudoephedrine Syrup 6 mg/mL 100 mL and up

PMS Pseudoephedrine Tablet 60 mg tablets 100 and up

Pseudoephedrine (manufactured

by Pumpuii Canada Inc.) 60 mg tablets 50

Pseudofrin Sirop 6 mg/mL 250 mL

Pseudofrin Tablets 60 mg tablets 12 and up

Sudafed Decongestant

Children's Chewable 15 mg tablets 12

Sudafed Decongestant

Extra Strength 60 mg tablets 12 and up

Sudafed Decongestant 12-Hour 120 mg tablets 10 and
up

Tantafed 60 mg tablets 24

Triaminic Allergy Congestion 3 mg/mL 100mL

Triaminic Oral Pediatric Drops 93/8 mg/mL 40 mL

Source: Alberta College of Pharmacists