TARGET MOVING COLD MEDICINE

Target Corp., the United States' second-largest discount retailer, has
announced that it will begin selling a wide range of nonprescription cold
and allergy medications only from behind the pharmacy counter because they
contain a key ingredient used in making methamphetamine.

Medications containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine, known as PSE,
include NyQuil, Claritin-D, Sudafed, Tylenol Flu and more than a hundred
other products used to treat cold, allergy and sinus symptoms. Target said
on Monday that it was the first national retailer to voluntarily restrict
sales of such drugs to the pharmacy counter.

Target said it would stop sales of the medications altogether at stores
that don't have a pharmacy. More than 300 of the retailer's 1,330 stores
lack pharmacies.

The Minneapolis-based retailer said it was taking the step because it would
"help curb the growing production and distribution of meth."

Target also said it had become increasingly difficult for national
retailers to adhere to the patchwork of state and local restrictions on
access to drugs used in the production of methamphetamine, an illegal and
highly addictive stimulant that can be processed from PSE extracted from
over-the-counter medications.

"We do anticipate that this might impact the sales of products containing
pseudoephedrine," Target spokeswoman Lena Michaud said. "But we believe
that, on balance, it's the right decision to make."

It's not clear yet whether Target's action will prompt other retailers,
including drug and grocery store chains, to follow suit. Some, including
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Walgreen Co., said Monday that they had no plans
to alter their policies as a result of Target's move.