PHARMACIES JOIN POLICE IN METH BATTLE

Products Containing Key Ingredients To Make Meth Behind Counter

Fort Saskatchewan Record -- A local police officer praises a move by
pharmacists to put products containing key ingredients used to make Crystal
Meth behind the prescription counter.

"I think it's an excellent move. It's definitely a step in the right
direction," said Const. Helen Meinzinger, spokesperson with the Fort
Saskatchewan RCMP detachment.

Meinzinger, who is also the Drug Abuse Resistance Education coordinator,
mentor, and facilitator for the local region, says she approached business
owners months ago to see if they would support such a move. "I'm impressed
it's happening as quickly as it is.

Meth has steadily become a problem in many communities over the last few
years, and things like this take time."

Last week the Alberta College of Pharmacists, which exists to regulate the
profession and protect the public, put out a request for Alberta pharmacies
to move single entity ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine products behind the
prescription counter for sale. The move means customers have to approach a
pharmacist and request the products. The two key ingredients are commonly
found in 'cold relief medicines.'

President of the ACP, Tracy Marsden said the request is getting a positive
response by many pharmacies, citing Save-On-Foods, Westfair/Superstore and
Wal-Mart have stepped up to the plate by moving their single-entity products.

Plans are in the works for Shoppers Drug Mart to have them moved within a
month, said Marsden.

The ACP also wants pharmacies to voluntarily restrict the sale of large
quantities of the products to 3600 mg of pseudoephedrine and 400 mg of
ephedrine.

"It basically means somebody couldn't buy a cart-load. And that's what
we're trying to avoid," says Marsden. "We understand we're not going to
stop large-scale labs, but if we can help stop kids from obtaining the
ingredients to start experimental labs, then at least we're doing
something. We don't believe it'll conquer the problem."

Meinzinger believes a person who is buying the products for ingredients to
make methamphetamine, is less likely to do so if they have to ask a
pharmacist for them.

"It could work as a deterrent," she said, adding the biggest area the move
will impact is with the theft of the products from store shelves. Sobeys
Station Square co-owner Cindy Hughes says there were occasions in the last
year where they've found numerous empty boxes of cold medicine products on
the shelf.

"It comes in spurts," said Hughes, who notes the thefts have subsided since
they put in extra security features.

The business was taking action to move products behind the counter before
the ACP made their request.

She said the move was a suggestion that came up during methamphetamine
business awareness workshops in April that were aimed at educating
businesses on the severity of the drug problem locally and abroad.

"It's something we were looking at doing before the request came out," said
Hughes. "It's good to be aware."

But at the same time you don't want to inhibit sales, adds Hughes.

She said the trouble lies in which products with similar ingredients should
be moved.

"We're working with the police in trying to find common ground in retail."

Marsden said some pharmacies are concerned that the ACP is suggesting all
'cold relief medicine ' products should be moved behind the counter, and
that's not the case. "It's really a minimal amount of products that should
be kept behind the counter."

She notes, without singling any manufacturers out, that most pharmacies
have around six product types that contain the key ingredients.