HARDWARE PRODUCTS MONITORED FOR METH

Potential methamphetamine manufacturers beware -- Edson-and-area
businesspeople know the potential ingredients of the drug and are
monitoring the products which go into it.

The Alberta College of Pharmacists, along with its member drug stores,
recently agreed to put products which contain ephedrine and
pseudoepedrine behind the counter. Both are prime ingredients in one
form of the drug. But that's not all, as hardware stores and stores
which carry hardware products, are monitoring potential meth
ingredient purchases in their stores.

While they haven't taken the products off the shelves, they are making
it tougher for people who are buying multiple quantities of the product.

For example, potential meth makers would have a difficult time
attaining such products at Timberjack Home Hardware Building Centre.

Manager Ken Olivier and his staff have labelled potential meth
products in their store. As a result, it would be very difficult to
purchase, in mass quantities, products such as kerosene, acetone and
muriatic acid, unless the buyer can furnish their name, phone number
and address and the reason for purchase.

"We had a guy come in and ask for two large cans of kerosene -- he
said it was for a furnace. He (then) said `I don't know if I have
enough money.' He never came back," said Olivier.

Over at True Value Hardware their monitoring program isn't as
stringent, but staff still carefully watch what customers are
purchasing. Owner Dave Brown said he hasn't noticed any mass purchases
of meth-type products. Acetone, for example, continues to be sold at a
less-than-rapid pace.

"We sell 24 bottles of acetone a year," said Brown.

The local business community has been advised of meth and the
ingredients used to make it by Edson RCMP officials and members of the
Edson and District Drug Action Coalition. Coalition co-chair Edith
Zuidhof-Knoop said the Timberjack initiative, along with local
monitoring programs, should go a long way in discouraging potential
meth manufacturers.

"It's going to make them think twice."

Zuidhof-Knoop praised Edson town council and its employees for
contributing countless hours to coalition projects.