GROCERS TAKE BATTLE AGAINST METH SERIOUSLY

While many retailers are waiting for West Virginia's new meth law to take
effect July 8 before pulling certain cold and sinus medicines off the
shelves, Save-A-Lot grocery stores have taken the lead in the fight against
the illegal drug methamphetamine.

"We pulled items containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine or
phenylpropanolamine as their only active ingredient off our shelves and
placed them in a secure area almost a year ago," said Jason Steele, a
district manager for Save-A-Lot. "This is our responsibility. If we're
selling these products, we should do what we can to make sure they are
being put to proper use."

Lara Ramsburg, communications director for Gov. Joe Manchin, said the
governor hoped to enlist local retailers, law enforcement and the entire
community in the effort to prevent meth addiction and manufacturing.

"It's a community awareness issue," she said. "We appreciate stores like
Save-A-Lot that understand and realize their role in the state's meth problem."

Most retailers, including Save-A-Lot, apparently know little about West
Virginia's new law limiting sales of Sudafed and other cold and sinus
remedies that contain the key ingredient in the illegal drug.

"We really aren't sure of what items are restricted, who can sell them and
the details," said Danny Reed, manager of the Save-A-Lot store in Beckley.
"We didn't want to wait for the law to be in effect. Instead, we wanted to
be a good corporate citizen and do our part in the fight against this
horrible epidemic."

The new law limits the sale of items containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine
or phenylpropanolamine as their only active ingredient to 9 grams, or three
packages, within a 30-day period. The items must be kept in a secure area
behind the counter and can only be sold by a physician, pharmacist,
pharmacy technician or other health care professional. Buyers also must
show photo identification and sign a logbook.

When the new law takes effect July 8, cold and sinus sufferers won't find
Sudafed and other brands on ordinary counters of retail and drug store
outlets and those without a pharmacy or health care professional not
working in the store will not be allowed to sell the products at all,
according to William Douglas, director of the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy.

"There are some exceptions for pediatric products and some gel-cap and
liquid products, but the best thing for those who may be confused is to get
a copy of the new law," Douglas said.

Douglas said his agency is currently writing policy, rules and regulations
which will be distributed to the retailers and wholesalers associations in
the state.

"We are going to be getting information out as soon as possible," he said.

Ramsburg admitted there has been some confusion regarding the new law.

"The original bill was much stricter and didn't allow for the sale of
almost all types of cold medicines, but the bill that passed limited the
sales of items containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine or phenylpropanolamine
as their only active ingredient," she said. "As the process moves forward,
we think everyone is going to understand that we are not trying to hurt
retailers and are only trying to stop this horrible epidemic that is
plaguing our state."

Checking whether drug stores, supermarkets and convenience stores are
complying with the law is going to be a difficult task in the beginning,
Ramsburg admitted.

In other states with similar laws, store managers received warnings and
police go back and recheck later.

"There is going to be a period of education," Ramsburg said.

Manchin asked for the legislation, declaring war on meth labs that have
begun to proliferate in West Virginia after they were ushered into the
state in Wood County a few years ago.

Methamphetamine is cheap and easily produced using cold medicine and other
easily available ingredients. Also known as crank, ice or crystal, the
stimulant can be smoked, snorted, swallowed or injected. Recipes abound on
the Internet and have fueled aggressive purchases and thefts of cold
medicine since the law passed the Legislature in April and was signed by
the governor into law on May 5.

"This new law is an important step in the war against this illegal drug,"
Ramsburg said.

Meth is highly addictive, sometimes hooking users on the first try,
according to many medical experts.

Other items, such as paint thinner, camp fuel, acetone, are also on a meth
manufacture's shopping list and they all line the aisles of shops everywhere.

The new law also puts some limits on the sale of these products as well.

West Virginia based its new law on one passed by Oklahoma. Before Oklahoma
started forcing pharmacies a year ago to put cold medicines used to make
methamphetamine behind their counters, retailers and drug makers fought the
idea. Now that Oklahoma has seen a dramatic drop in meth lab seizures, at
least 35 states, including Ohio and West Virginia, have either adopted or
are considering similar laws.

In addition to Save-A-Lot, retailers like Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, Target and
others have already begun moving many non-prescription cold and allergy
medications behind the counters.

Some states now only allow pharmacies to sell drugs with pseudoephedrine,
and others make retailers lock up the products or sell them from staffed
counters. Legislatures in many other states are also considering similar
restrictions.