Tougher Control

PHARMACISTS RECOMMEND RESTRICTION TO REDUCE MISUSE

It's a positive move.

The Drug Task Force is calling the move of the Alberta College of
Pharmacists a step in the right direction.

The ACP announced that pharmacies across the province are voluntarily
restricting access to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, two of the main
ingredients used to produce methamphetamine, July 6.

Highly Addictive

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug that is affecting
individuals and families throughout Alberta. The Drug Response Task
Force has taken great measures to raise awareness and educate students
and parents in the Battle River School Division about the addictive
dangers of the drug. The task force has also published a handbook for
parents, teachers and frontline staff.

"The college and its members are making the components of substances
of abuse and misuse less readily available for individuals seeking
them for illegal purposes. We want Albertans to know that pharmacists
are concerned about their communities. We have pledged to contribute
to solutions to the methamphetamine problem," said Tracy Marsden the
ACP president.

Restricted

At the request of the ACP, Alberta pharmacists are placing products
that contain ephedrine or pseudoephedrine as a single therapeutic
ingredient behind the prescription counter. This means products such
as Sudafed will only be available from the pharmacists.

Pharmacies are restricting the sale of all products containing
ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to a maximum of 3,600mg of
pseudoephedrine and 400mg of ephedrine in a single transaction. This
means customers can only purchase 60 tablets of 60 mg of
pseudoephedrine at one time. This restriction applies to
single-ingredient products and products also containing other drugs.

Pharmacies making the moving the single-ingredient products behind the
counter are Save-On-Foods, all Westfair-Superstore pharmacists and
Shoppers Drug Mart will be making the move within a month.

"We welcome the addition of the ACP as a partner in a growing
allegiance of organizations and agencies committed to limiting the
availability of crystal meth. We're always looking at ways to address
education, awareness and prevention surrounding this dirty drug and
the ACP's move is integral with respect to the latter.

Great News

"This is great news for Albertans and communities that are struggling
with crystal meth. It's very much a socially responsible action on the
part of the ACP," added Yvonne Allan co-chairman a member of the Drug
Response Task Force.