PHARMACIES WORK TO STOP MEDICINE BEING USED FOR METH

At Drug Emporium at Beckley Crossing, certain cold medicines couldn't be
stocked fast enough several years ago, first assistant manager Kathy Woods
said.

"We couldn't put it on the shelf because it walked out of the store too
fast," she said. "You'd go down the aisle, and there would be 12 gone at
one time.

"We finally had to lock them up behind the pharmacy counter."

The pharmacy also adopted a policy limiting the number of cold medicines to
one box per one person per purchase, Woods added.

Three chemicals in cold medicines - ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and
phenylpropanolamine - are used in large quantities to make methamphetamine
in labs around the state.

Gov. Joe Manchin has proposed a new law that would require customers to
display a photo ID, give a birth date and sign a form showing the
transaction date, name and amount purchased.

Anyone selling, making or distributing the three chemicals must be
registered with the Board of Pharmacy under the proposed guidelines, and
the substances could only be sold or distributed by a pharmacy, doctor,
pharmacist or licensed pharmacy technician.

Although local pharmacies interviewed don't require a photo ID or a
transaction slip for customers who want to purchase cold medicines, they
already have policies aimed at limiting the amount of cold medicine purchased.

Like Drug Emporium, Rite Aid allows customers to purchase two cold
medicines at a time.

Wal-Mart's voluntary sales limitation policy currently limits the sale of
products containing pseudoedephrine.

The 1997 policy also allows customers to purchase only the number of cold
medicines determined by state law. If a customer attempts to purchase more
than state guidelines allow, the cash registers alert cashiers.

Each time a register limit is triggered, Wal-Mart spokesman Nate Hurst of
Arkansas said, an information slip on methamphetamine is printed for the
customer.