COMMON COLD AND FLU MEDICINES MAY BECOME CLASSIFIED DRUGS

Cold and flu medicines used to manufacture the illegal drug P or speed are
set to become class C controlled drugs - the same classification as
cannabis.

Moves were afoot to move pseudoephedrine from the Medicines Act to the
Misuse of Drugs Act, Taranaki District Health Board chief pharmacist
Elizabeth Plant told the Taranaki District Health Board. Pseudoephedrine
products are increasingly being used to illegally manufacture
methamphetamine.

Mrs Plant said under the Drugs Act, pseudoephedrine the active ingredient in
cold and flu medications like Sudafed and Nurofen, would become a class C
controlled drug.

The recommendation had been made to Parliament from the Expert Advisory
Committee on Drugs, Mrs Plant said.

The change would give police greater powers to arrest, charge and search,
Mrs Plant said.

Yesterday a Ministry of Health spokesperson confirmed discussions were being
held with drug companies and pharmacies on the change.

The issue would need to go to Cabinet for approval, she said.