BATTLE METH IN SENSIBLE WAY

If government officials seriously consider any proposal to allow only
prescription sales of cold and allergy medicines, those elected officials
should contact their family doctors (if they have one) for brain scans.

Perth County medical officer Dr. Rosana Pellizzari has come out in favour
of forcing physicians to write prescriptions for such medicines because the
drugs contain the drug pusedoephedrine -- essential for the production of
crystal methamphetaminemes.

Dr. Pellizzari's plan may have a laudable purpose but the massive strain it
will create on the health-care system and the inconvenience for millions of
Canadians far outweighs the benefits in the battle against drugs.

Authorities have declared war on cook-ops of the highly addictive drug but
it makes far more sense to monitor the sale of cold and allergy medications.

Neither the federal or Ontario governments have as of yet supported Dr.
Pellizzari's plan (any change to drug availability status must come from
the federal government) nor should they.

Granted, the crystal meth problem is increasing significantly across North
America. Despite the potential deadly consequences of meth usage, people
desperate for a drug high can be stoned for 12 hours at a cost of $5.

For a doctor to suggest cold drug sales by prescription is disturbing. With
so many people in Ontario, and the rest of Canada, without a family
physician, it would be a nightmare every time the sniffles took hold or
hayfever season kicked in.

To obtain a prescription without a family doctor, would mean a hospital
visit or a walk-in clinic lineup. This would be an added weight on a health
care system which is already seriously over-burdened.

Chatham-Kent pharmacists have indicated that they would put such
medications behind the counter. To purchase a box or two would require
talking to a pharmacist which may be beneficial. A pharmacist can direct a
person to the proper "behind-the-counter" medicine for a cold, sinus
problem or allergy.

Restricting access to pseudoephedrine can aid in the battle against crystal
meth, however, it won't win the war. Cook operations need to be restricted
in the bulk purchase of the chemical.

It's difficult to believe major drug operations rely on a few case of cold
remedies to cook up a big batch of meth.

Monitoring bulk sales of drug manufacturers should be part of any action on
this battle against crystal meth.

Making little Billy or grandma jump through doctor-appointment hoops to
tackle the sniffles is just plain silly.