LOCAL PHARMACISTS AGREE WITH ACP

Local pharmacies have honoured the wishes of the Alberta College of
Pharmacists (ACP) which issued an initiative to restrict access to certain
ingredients used to make crystal meth.

In June, the ACP asked Alberta pharmacists to voluntarily move single-entity
ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products into the dispensary, meaning people
would have to request them over the counter.

In addition, pharmacists were asked to restrict their sales of ephedrine and
pseudoephedrine products, whether single-entity or used in a combination, to
3600 mg of pseudoephedrine and 400 mg of ephedrine.

This came after concern about increased production and use of crystal meth.

Rosemarie Biggs, manager of Broadmoor Pharmacy, voluntarily complied with
the request.

"Some time ago we voluntarily removed any product containing pseudoephedrine
from the front, to the no-public access," she said.

"So in other words, people have to ask for them. They can't just be taken
off the shelf."

The initiative is the first of its kind in Canada. Shortly after Alberta's
announcement, B.C. announced its intentions to do the same.

"Hopefully the other provinces will follow suit," said Biggs, adding the
initiative just made sense.

Most big pharmacies, such as those within Save-On-Foods, Superstore and
Wal-Mart, responded immediately to the ACP's request and moved the drugs
behind the counter.

Many small local pharmacies have followed suit, including Penny's Health
Plus, Fairlane Drug Mart and Broadmoor Pharmacy. Others only carry very
small quantities of the drugs to begin with, and weren't affected by the
request.

The medication does have legitimate medical uses, generally used for
treating colds or breathing disorders.

Graeme LaRue, manager/owner of Penny's Health Plus Pharmacy on Main
Boulevard, said it wasn't a difficult request.

"For me it was an easy step, not a big issue," said LaRue. "It was
encouraged by our college and it was a simple thing to do."

He noted the size and style of his pharmacy made it easier to monitor sales
in the first place.

"In a store like mine, I'm pretty much involved in every sale, and there's
never going to be a situation where I'm going to sell multiple amounts of
product to somebody I recognize," he explained.

"But in a setting where you may not know all your customers personally, or
you just don't necessarily see every sale, I could see where you could
easily have someone sort of overbuying and not really be aware of it."

LaRue said he thought the initiative was a very reasonable way to curb the
inappropriate sale of the product.

"I think it's a good way to make sure that you're seeing individually those
people who are looking for those products, and you can make a professional
choice of yes they should get it or no they shouldn't or we have to limit
their quantities."