NEW LIMITS ON COLD, ALLERGY MEDS APPLAUDED

Crystal meth, under its various names, continues to make waves in our
area. News about the drug constantly appears in the police report in
The Post, and other reports of violence and break-ins each week on
page A4 sound suspiciously meth-related, although it is not always disclosed.

Across Canada, authorities have been striving to come up with a way
to deal with the surge in crystal meth production and use.

And now, something is being done.

As of April 10, 2006, over-the-counter allergy and cold medications
will no longer be available to Canadians at supermarkets and corner stores.

New government rules aimed at the prevention of the production of
methamphetamine (which requires large quantities of amphetamine, an
ingredient in many allergy and cold medications) prevent the sales of
these medications at such stores. Pharmacies and supermarkets with
drug stores won't be affected by the ban.

However, the rules also state that there are 15 medications that can
only be sold be pharmacists, including Sudafed Decongestant 12-hour
caplets, Triaminic Allergy Decongestant, Claritin Sinus, Tylenol
Cold, Benylin and Contac Cold.

It's difficult to say whether this will stem the production of
crystal meth, but it is, indeed, a positive move in the fight against the drug.

This may make it more difficult for rural residents to purchase cold
and allergy medications, but we expect the small inconvenience will
be taken in stride. For those who are not in the habit of
manufacturing illegal drugs, this inconvenience should only mean
travelling to a drug store to ask a pharmacist for the needed medication.

In combatting a drug that is often addictive after the first dose and
easy to produce with items found in local hardware stores and recipes
accessible on the Internet, whatever authorities can do to prevent
illegal drug manufacturers from contributing to the addiction that
has been called "worse than crack cocaine" is more than welcome.

It is necessary.

We support the government's decision to limit the sale of medications
containing amphetamine. It's a small inconvenience for the
law-abiding public, but will hopefully help to foil the plans of drug
manufacturers, dealers and addicts.