LIMITS ON DRUG USED TO MAKE 'ICE' URGED

Karen Song, a pharmacist at Cruz Pharmacy, said young people have come
to the pharmacy unusually interested in purchasing specific
over-the-counter medicine that contains the drug pseudoephedrine.

"They want to special order 10 or 20. We've had enough instances to
tell us something is happening on Guam," she said.

The drug, which is a decongestant found in common cold and allergy
medicines, also is the essential ingredient in the underground
manufacture of methamphetamine -- a highly addictive illegal drug.

Guam Memorial Hospital recorded 381 methamphetamine-related cases
between Jan. 1, 2000, and June 28, 2005, according to a breakdown
provided by the hospital. The youngest patients were less than a year
old, while the oldest was 83.

Restrict Access

"We have seen seekers of pseudoephedrine," Song told the legislative
Committee on Criminal Justice, Public Safety, Youth and Foreign
Affairs, which held a public hearing on a bill that would restrict the
sale of pseudoephedrine products on Guam.

If approved, pharmacies and other stores must restrict access to
pseudoephedrine products and limit customers to two items every 24
hours. Residents also would not be allowed to buy more than 9 grams of
pseudoephedrine every 30 days.

According to a report from the Gannett News Service, some companies
are adding new lines of decongestants that use phenylephrine instead
of pseudoephedrine. Many states have passed laws to make it more
difficult to purchase the medicine.

Song said pharmacies already are aware about the illicit use of
pseudoephedrine and keep those products locked up or behind the
counter. So additional restrictions should not be a problem for the
businesses, she said.

Song said the bill's intent is good and the purchase limits are
reasonable, but she said she is concerned that the penalty for
businesses -- a third degree felony-- is too stiff. In contrast, the
bill assigns a misdemeanor for customers who break the law.

Police Chief Frank Ishizaki said police have found one ice
manufacturing operation on Guam, and chances are there are others.

Ishizaki recommended that the new law require businesses to fill out a
suspicious activity form that can be turned in to law enforcement.
Wholesalers of medicine should be included, as well, he said.

Online Ordering

Mildred Gabriel, a member of the Guam Pharmacists Association, said
lawmakers also should take into account the ability of residents to
purchase pseudoephedrine over the Internet, which she said does not
limit quantities.

She said she went online as a test and could have purchased 20 boxes.
"Someone can just go on the Internet and buy 20, 40 boxes and have it
shipped in," she said.

Sen. Robert Klitzkie, R-Yigo, said one possible solution would be to
make it illegal for Guam residents to possess large amounts of
pseudoephedrine.

Sen. Mike Cruz, R-Piti, who wrote the bill, noted that even with the
restrictions, there is nothing to prevent someone from visiting many
stores a day in order to stock up on pseudoephedrine. Cruz asked
pharmacists about the possibility of maintaining a logbook and
identity check in order to better track the sale of the drug.

Pharmacists said they would be willing to keep logbooks, but were
concerned about customer privacy and how the information will be used.