STATE LAWS SEEM TO STEM METH BUT FRUSTRATE SOME CONSUMERS

With the cold season approaching, many consumers are frustrated by the
removal of many over-the-counter medications from the shelves. Cough
and cold remedies containing pseudoephedrine (PSE), ephedrine (EPH),
or dextromethorphan (DMX) are restricted by either federal law or by
voluntary pharmacy policy.

The federal law restricting PSE and EPH went into effect in January
2007, although a similar North Carolina law went into effect in
January 2006. These laws are designed to curtail methamphetamine production.

These products were bought in large quantities, multiple times by
those with "meth labs." The medicines are an important ingredient in
making the illegal drug methamphetamine.

The laws restrict the quantity and frequency of sales and require
identification of the consumer who must be 18 years of age or older.
All sales must be completed through a pharmacy.

When the law took effect, many consumers were outraged. The most
common statement made were by those who felt cold sufferers were being
treated like criminals.

The aspect requiring a pharmacist on duty meant common cold
medications could not be sold in grocery or convenience stores. The
hours of availability changed, a consumer could not longer purchase
these specific cold medicines during the night at 24 hours stores.

The DMX restriction is an issue some consumers may not be aware of.
DMX is a cough suppressant found in many cough syrups and some
tablets. A trend emerged over the last several years with mainly
middle and high school students, referred to as "robbo-tripping,
nicknamed due to the DMX in Robitussin, a popular cold remedy.

When consumed in large doses, DMX causes hallucinations, dizziness,
brain damage, irregular heartbeats, seizures, loss of consciousness
and death. Nationwide, thousands of overdoses have been reported by
emergency room doctors.

There is currently no state or federal law concerning the sale of DMX.
Many pharmacies have opted to voluntarily restrict the sale of
products containing DMX to those under the age of 18, while others
restrict the quantity of these products.

Walgreens issued a statement: "We are taking this proactive position
as a responsible member of the community to help prevent abuse of DMX."

While a majority of consumers have accepted the restrictions as a
necessary step in drug abuse prevention, others see it as a punishment
to law-abiding citizens.

A person who asked not be identified, concerned with the DMX
restriction, recently approached the Watauga Democrat.

"My high-school age daughter stopped on the way to school to purchase
a cough suppressant and was denied. She was forced to go through the
day in discomfort because of a few teens looking for a high," she said.

In an attempt to keep products on the store shelves, many
pharmaceutical manufacturers reformulated their cold medicines to
include phenylephrine in place of PSE.

Many consumers have complained this product is not as effective as the
original. Phenylephrine is also available in only a four-hour
effectiveness, as opposed to a 12-hour tablet containing PSE. One
local pharmacist confirmed receiving those complaints, but would not
comment on the effectiveness of phenylephrine.

Cpt. A. Reed of the Watauga County Sheriff's Office Special Operations
Unit, which encompasses narcotics, says absolutely.

In 2005, prior to the state law, 16 methamphetamine labs were found in
Watauga County. The following year, after PSE sale restriction, five
were found. Thus far in 2007, one methamphetamine lab has been found.
As a part of the federal law, pharmacies must maintain a log of PSE
purchases.

This log aids pharmacies in limiting the monthly quantity restriction,
and also aids law enforcement in investigating people who would try to
purchase in excess of the legal limit by visiting various pharmacies.

The special operations unit has an detective dedicated to
methamphetamine enforcement. This officer picks up the pharmacy logs
on a monthly basis. Comparing the logs can lead to investigations of
PSE violations and potential methamphetamine productions.

The detective asked that his name not be released for security
purposes due to undercover operations of the narcotics unit.

Reed stated the narcotics unit has issued several citations for
exceeding PSE limits, as well as, possession of precursor chemicals,
the items used in methamphetamine production.

A vast majority of these violations have been issued to residents of
Johnson County, Tenn. These individuals are driving to Watauga County
to purchase the PSE medications and other precursors before returning
to Tennessee to manufacture the illicit drug.

Such cases are out of the jurisdiction of the Watauga County Sheriff's
Office, prompting them to work with Johnson County officials to
address the problem. Johnson County officers are continuing to
investigate possible methamphetamine production.

Reed warns that the lack of methamphetamine labs in Watauga County is
not an indicator that there is not an issue with drugs.

A trend present across the nation, and can be seen in the county as
well, is an import trade of methamphetamine. The drug is highly
addictive, therefore those who feel as though they need it, find it
elsewhere or find a substitute substance.

He said crystal methamphetamine is coming in to the High County from
western states and Mexico, where production is less enforced.

The sheriff's office has initiated more than 600 individual narcotics
investigations in 2007, with 245 arrests. Those are not all
methamphetamine. The statistics include other narcotics and
precursor/PSE violations. Currently there are no statistics available
on the DMX regulations.

The national Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the
frequency of DMX abuse. The medicine could be added to the Controlled
Substances Act if it found to be warranted.

Experts recommend consumers buy the over-the-counter medication of
their choice to store in the medicine cabinet in case of illness
during the upcoming cold season.