OKLA. PHARMACISTS ENDORSE METH LAW

Pharmacists in Oklahoma, where a year-old state law has put a major dent in
meth use, say West Virginians should support a similar statute that locks
certain cold medicines behind drugstore counters.

Some West Virginia pharmacists, however, have expressed apprehension about
the burden that would impose on employees.

Gov. Joe Manchin's proposal is modeled after Oklahoma's "Trooper Nik Green
Act," named for a state policeman killed in 2003 by a meth addict.
Pharmacists there say the benefits outweigh the inconvenience.

"It requires a little paperwork, but it's not a big deal," said Dani Lynch,
owner of Thrifty Pharmacy in Oklahoma City. "We think it's a wonderful
thing. It has reduced our meth labs considerably, and we want to push it
onto other states."

Since the law took effect, meth lab busts are down 80 percent, which
reflects the difficulty that drug abusers are having in obtaining
pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient of meth.

Customers in Oklahoma must present identification to pharmacy employees
when purchasing cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine. These medicines
also are sold only at pharmacies.

A person is limited to nine grams in a 30-day period. Someone who takes a
Claritin 24-hour tablet every day for a month consumes 7.2 grams of
pseudoephedrine. A tablet of Sudafed contains 30 milligrams of the drug, so
it would take 300 of those to make up nine grams.

drugstores in Oklahoma must keep these medicines behind the counter and
record the purchases.

"We've turned a couple of people into the Bureau of Narcotics if they've
reached the limit and tried to buy more," Lynch said.

While the law has cut back on the number of lab busts, Lynch believes meth
makers will find alternative ways to cook it.

"These guys are incredible wizards," Lynch said. "They'll be distilling
toilet water before you know it to make meth."

The dramatic reduction in lab busts doesn't mean meth trafficking and abuse
is down in the region.

"Our problem has become Texas' problem and other states' problems," Lynch
said. "They arrested a guy in the metropolitan area the other day who
loaded up in Dallas and tried to bring it in. It's a pathetic situation
here with a whole generation of kids exposed to meth. Let them blow
themselves up, but leave kids out of it."

Ken's Discount Pharmacy in Norman, Okla. fills between 800-1,000
prescriptions a day. Since the pseudoephedrine law was passed in April,
office manager Ken Fowler said the pharmacy has turned down only one person
from buying cold medicine.

"As far as us personally, we have no problem with it," Fowler said. "If
someone says, 'I need a Tylenol, my sinuses are killing me,' all we have to
do is check our alphabetized records. I don't understand why anyone would
be against it unless a guy comes in all whacked-out and raises Cain because
he can't get any."

The State Pharmacy Board in Oklahoma conducts routine inspections of
drugstores to ensure they're following the new law.

Within a year, all Oklahoma pharmacies will be logged onto a computerized
central database that stores the records. That will make it harder for
individuals to go from store-to-store to pick up these cold medicines.

Dr. Cindy Hamilton, an Oklahoma State Pharmacy Board inspector, said most
of the problems experienced with the new law are communication breakdowns.

"Some don't understand everything they have to keep," Hamilton said.
"They're leaving out information, but not on purpose. It's just an oversight."

Hamilton said pharmacies must record the name, address, date of birth,
driver's license number, product being sold, quantity, date of sale and the
customer's signature.

If a person needs more than the limit, they can obtain a prescription, she
said.

Customers can also purchase the liquid forms of pseudoephedrine-containing
drugs because they are excluded from the law.

"Liquid doesn't make a good meth," Hamilton said. "It's real sticky and it
doesn't work. But we may have to pull those off the shelves if they ever
discover a new recipe for that, too."