SOLICITOR GENERAL KEEPS METH INGREDIENT ON THE SHELF

Burns Lake RCMP welcomes a NDP bill to restrict the sale of common
cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient in
crystal methamphetamine.

But the bill has failed to impress Solicitor General John Les, even
after it received the support of the B.C. Federation of Police Officers.

Les said he has received extensive advice about drug labs, and police
management has made it "very clear that our issue is the bulk
importation" of crystal meth components. Police have intercepted
shipping containers from Asia containing large amounts of precursor
chemicals, and large, sophisticated labs run by organized crime.

The NDP bill would require pharmacies to keep cold medicines
containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine behind the counter to monitor
sales.

Rexall Drugs in Burns Lake had voluntarily placed these cold medicines
behind the counter, noting that a few persons were buying unusual
quantities of the medicines, says a staff member, but in the absence
of legislation the store has since placed the drugs back on the shelf.

The Burns Lake RCMP disagrees with the Solicitor General's view that
only large quantities of pseudoephederine from Asia are the problem,
especially in small communities where labs are unsophisticated and
resourceful.

"Meth producers will get their hands on the ingredients what ever way
they can," says Cst. Jim Wilkinson.

NDP MLA Rob Fleming, says, "Community groups all across the province
have been calling for the Campbell government to restrict the sale of
ingredients found in crystal meth, but the government has insisted
there isn't a problem."