Cold Medicines Behind the Counter Because of Meth?

Target have done it. Walmart is considering it. Walgreen and CVS are thinking of it. Other grocery and retail stores are mulling over it.

Putting cold medicines back to the pharmacists' counters (behind the counters) due to the official reason of meth usage and abuse associating from cold medicine.

Where did this come from?

I find this strange since I cannot recall at any point in the past few years any health expert, doctor or medicinal association have come out and state/warn that meth can be developed and abused from brand-name cold medicines.

Don't you find this strange? I spoke to a pharmacist today to inquire about it and he stated that he thought that's strange because he hasn't heard or read about any correlation between cold medicines and meth. He did stated that some cold medicines may have contributed to meth usage but not sure which one and not sure which one will be behind the counter.

Me? I think it may correlate to something to do with the Avian bird flu. As far as I know, there's no latest vaccination against Avian bird flu, some health experts believe that some cold medicines and Vitamin C may work against Avian bird flu (not a cure all but to minimize its symptoms).

What do you think? I'm not medicinally knowledgeable but I do find this putting some or all cold medicines behind the counter due to the "official" reason of meth usage pretty much puzzling.

It might not be the only reason it's behind the counter, but it contains one of the essential ingredients for 'cooking' meth - pseudoephedrine. It's also a big item for shoplifters, because people would remember a guy coming in to buy 10 boxes of Sudafed.

Meth use is exploding right now, and apparently quite easy to make using cold remedies. We've had a few instances of the cops having to go pull little kids out of the home, while mommy and daddy are producing meth on the kitchen stove. Very, very toxic to breathe.

Edit to add this:

The key ingredient of methamphetamine is ephedrine, a controlled substance. Because it is difficult to obtain ephedrine, drug dealers use pseudoephedrine, found in many over-the-counter medicines. These medicines are processed to remove buffers and produce ephedrine. Cash purchases of large quantities of red phosphorous and iodine (for hydroiodic acid) are made by drug dealers in order to produce methamphetamine. No federal regulations or quantity limitations control the sale of these chemicals; therefore, it is difficult for the DEA to track their possession.

Manufacturing of Methamphetamine

CKNW has lots of info. One of the hosts (Bill Good) has made it a pet project to educate the public on this topic.

[edit on 26-4-2005 by Duzey]

Methamphetamine is clandestinely manufactured using the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine reduction method. In this process, over-the-counter cold and allergy tablets containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are placed in a solution of water, alcohol, or other solvent for several hours until the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine separates from the tablet. Then, using common household products and equipment listed on the following page and a recipe learned from friends or taken off the Internet, the ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is converted into high quality Methamphetamine in makeshift, illegal labs by untrained individuals.

www.streetdrugs.org...

I spoke to a pharmacist today to inquire about it and he stated that he thought that's strange because he hasn't heard or read about any correlation between cold medicines and meth.

I think it's even more strange that a pharmacist wouldn't know that common fact. I'd question his overall knowledge as a pharmacist.

He did stated that some cold medicines may have contributed to meth usage but not sure which one and not sure which one will be behind the counter.

Pretty much anything with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine in them. So pretty much most cold medicines.

I think it may correlate to something to do with the Avian bird flu.

I would say that is grasping for a conspiracy.

Okay, enough said. Got the messages.

Close the thread, if you please, mods?

It is such a shame that it has come to this point. This is a major problem right now as it is so easy to produce and its effects can be deadly. One thing is certain though, if they do pull all of these cold remedies back behind the counter they better have a pharmacist there twenty four hours. My colds always seem to kick in about twelve at night and if I have to wait until the next day for relief someone will pay

A recently passed state law here ( in GA) requires one to show ID and sign a log in order to purchase the brands that contain that particular chemical.
article here

One thing is certain though, if they do pull all of these cold remedies back behind the counter they better have a pharmacist there twenty four hours. My colds always seem to kick in about twelve at night and if I have to wait until the next day for relief someone will pay

They don't have convenience stores where you live?

Originally posted by frayed1
A recently passed state law here ( in GA) requires one to show ID and sign a log in order to purchase the brands that contain that particular chemical.
article here

I don't see that anywhere in the Bill you are referring to.
www.legis.state.ga.us...

This is modeled off the Oklahoma Trooper Nik Green Law.

On December 26, 2003, Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Nikky Green was shot dead while investigating a reported disabled vehicle along a rural Oklahoma highway. Review of the in-car camera in Trooper Green's vehicle revealed that the man who shot Trooper Green dead had been cooking methamphetamine. Trooper Green had walked up on a mobile meth lab.

ATSNN Article: Oklahoma's Trooper Nik Green Law - It's Coming Your Way

Apparently more and more states are following suit.

One factor for the decision of the ban has to do with the differences between producing meth with pure ephederine or Pseudo-ephederine, and producing it with P2P (phenyl-2-propanone).
The diferences in the two production methods make the ephederine method the more dangerous of the two, which has been mainly responsible for the increase in Meth lab explosions over the past few years.

Unless I am mistaken the original Japanees recipe called for the P2P method, which was easier to get once upon a time. Ever since they tightened restrictions of P2P, we have seen more and more of these Ephederine extracting labs blowing up.
www.ag.ca.gov...
This is exactly why you never used to hear about meth lab accidents.
cstl.semo.edu...

Sadly though the chemist are hard at work developing new methods just like they did when they made P2P nearly illegal, which will probably lead to even more accidents.

yeah just wait till you have to show id to get radiator collant for you car. yet another of the easy to get ahold of chemicals to make meth withethiline glycol. it would be humorous to think about if the labs were not such a danger and the chemicals involved all so common and mundane. this dangerous drug is able to be produced from stuff easily gotten ahold of and not overly expensive either. it is also fairly easy (albeit dangerous) to make.

unfortunately the easiest way to try to controll it is to put one ingreadiant where it has controlled acess, the pharmacy. i have been hearing a lot about putting cold remidies behind the counter for awile now. i don't like it as that could mean that it may diapear from variety store altogether. but there is a very real and valid reason for doing so.

Originally posted by drogo
. i don't like it as that could mean that it may diapear from variety store altogether. but there is a very real and valid reason for doing so.

No matter if ALL chemicals required identification to buy, then we would just get it from Mexico or somewhere else.

Sadly the war on drugs is one of mankind' greatest exercises in futility.

And while everyday products will become harder and harder to get for average people who don't do drugs, this will do nothing to curb the use of illegal substances. The only people this hurts is the people who do nothing. Those who do drugs will find another way, just like they have throughout all of recorded time

Originally posted by Skibum

One thing is certain though, if they do pull all of these cold remedies back behind the counter they better have a pharmacist there twenty four hours. My colds always seem to kick in about twelve at night and if I have to wait until the next day for relief someone will pay

They don't have convenience stores where you live?

No, most convenience stores in my area are closed by twelve at night and the only thing open is a super Wal Mart. Plus, if this goes over well I could see it eventually affecting convienence stores as well possibly keeping it off of their shelves.

most convenience stores in my area are closed by twelve at night

Not very convenient...

Originally posted by Duzey
It might not be the only reason it's behind the counter, but it contains one of the essential ingredients for 'cooking' meth - pseudoephedrine. It's also a big item for shoplifters, because people would remember a guy coming in to buy 10 boxes of Sudafed.

.... They should keep them on the shelves. In most states there is a limit on how much you can buy anyway. But I'm sure they'll go to the next store and buy more etc... I say let them do there petty theft, that way the pharmacy employees need not worry about arm robberies etc....

More short-sighted laws only hurt the innocent!

Originally posted by XPhiles
I say let them do there petty theft, that way the pharmacy employees need not worry about arm robberies etc....

More short-sighted laws only hurt the innocent!

You know what, I thought this was a completely great idea, to keep them behind the counter. And then I read your post.

While some here may not agree with you, 15 years ago, I was held up at gunpoint while working in a gas station. I was an 18 year-old girl, who had been left to work the night-shift by herself, and I turned around for 1 minute, and there was some drugged out kid pointing a gun at my head when I turned back. I thought I was dead.

It had never occurred to me that this could put people in danger; but meth freaks are completely 'insane', so you make an excellent point.