More Stupid Decisions by Lawmakers

**dukedogsmom** · 07-31-2005, 06:58 PM

When is this going to end? This is totally ridiculous.
Source: more stupidity
As stated in the other thread, if they want it, they will find ways to get it. I'm sick of all of society getting punished for bad deeds from a few.

PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - A bill passed by lawmakers on Saturday would make Oregon the first U.S. state to require a doctor's prescription for cold medicines containing an ingredient that can be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

"We hope this will reduce the supply" of meth, Democratic state Sen. Ginny Burdick told Reuters after the Senate passed the bill.

Oregon's House of Representatives approved the measure earlier this month and Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski was expected to sign it.

The bill has widespread support, but critics say it would hurt people without medical insurance who cannot afford to go to a doctor for a cold or an allergy.

Although much of the nation's meth supply is produced in large labs in Mexico, the addictive drug can be made in smaller labs with easily available equipment and ingredients, including cold or allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine.

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said recently that meth had surpassed marijuana as the drug posing the greatest danger to the nation's children.

The U.S. Congress is considering a bill that would move medicines containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed, NyQuil, and Tylenol Cold, behind pharmacy counters and limit how much one person can buy to 7.5 grams a month -- the equivalent of roughly 250 30-milligram tablets.

Customers also would be required to show a photo identification and sign a log.

It is modeled after an Oklahoma law, copied by at least a dozen other states, that authorities say has resulted in a large drop in meth labs seized by police.

The bills passed by the Oregon Senate and House of Representatives also would toughen penalties for meth-related crimes.

Lt. Brian Schmautz of the Portland Police Bureau said it was "naive to think that this will solve the meth problem."

But he said the bill would likely reduce the number of local labs and thus the property contamination, fires and danger to children sometimes found in homes with meth labs.

Oregon had the highest per-capita rate of treatment admissions for meth in the United States in 2002, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

More than 326 of every 100,000 Oregonians sought treatment for meth addiction, and more Oregonians sought treatment for meth addiction than any other drug except alcohol, according to the data.

**catnapper** · 07-31-2005, 07:42 PM

You've sooo got to be kidding. I'd die without Sudafed (or the store brands) during the summer. I'm not about to go through my doctor for a Rx for it either. Know how much the insurance and drug companies will jump on that to charge us $20 to fill what is currently a $3 box of decongestant?

**Uabassoon** · 07-31-2005, 10:00 PM

I'm with you Catnapper, I would die without my sudafed. I also hate going to the doctor, especially if I know I'm not "sick". I'd feel so silly walking in, saying all I want is a prescription for NyQuill! Pseudoephedrine is my friend.

**Lady's Human** · 07-31-2005, 10:33 PM

According to the AP, there is a national bill along similar lines, which would require stores to track how much Sudafed you buy.

**carole** · 07-31-2005, 11:06 PM

If it is any consolation we down under are having just the same kind of problems with Meth labs etc, I believe it is only a matter of time before the same time of legislation appears in NZ, it makes me sick too, that the bad ones always spoil everything for the good ones, and we end up paying the price , grrrrr..............

**Cinder & Smoke** · 07-31-2005, 11:30 PM

Originally posted by dukedogsmom

... Oregon the first U.S. state to require a doctor's prescription for cold medicines containing an ingredient that can be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine. ...

The U.S. Congress is considering a bill that would move medicines containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed, NyQuil, and Tylenol Cold, behind pharmacy counters and limit how much one person can buy to 7.5 grams a month -- the equivalent of roughly 250 30-milligram tablets.

Customers also would be required to show a photo identification and sign a log.

Dunno if all THAT is really required ...

OHIO may have passed a similar law - but not quite as "tough" ...

Last time I needed a Cold Remedy - couldn't FIND it on the shelf
at Wally's-Mart ...
Talked to the Pharmacy White Coat and she said:
"We keep that stuff back here, now."

No prescription required - just had to "ask" for it.
She brought one package to me; but offered no argument when I said
I wanted TWO ...
(The fact that I L

KED and S

UNDED like Death-Warmed-Over
might have had something to do with getting TWO.)

I went into a small "Mom & Pop" pharmacy and they also had moved
the cold remedy stuff into the locked pharmacy area ...
little sign on the public-accessable shelves advising the displayed
boxes were "empty display boxes - See the Pharmacist".

/s/ Phred

**janelle** · 08-01-2005, 04:46 AM

Actually the danger is for the people who live near the meth labs. They can and do blow up sometimes. It's very dangerous for police to raid a meth lab.

You do not want to learn your neighbor in your apartment building downstairs from you has just been arrested for operating a meth lab. Or worse learn when it blows up.

But I think putting the meds in the back and also getting the names and identity of those who want to buy a lot of it would be enough.

**Cessa's Mom** · 08-01-2005, 05:01 AM

The reason so many pharmacies are putting the cough & cold medicines behind the counter is because the kids have found a new fix. Their drug of choice in particular is Coricidin Cough & Cold commonly known by the street name of "Triple C" to the kids. When taken in large amounts 10 - 12 pills or 10x the normal dose at a time, it produces an LSD effect. It produces hallucinations. Anything that has dextromethorphan in it i.e. most cold medicines is being used. Street names include candy, skittles, red devils. PARENTS BEWARE!! It is all over the high schools and middle schools!!

**anna_66** · 08-01-2005, 09:34 AM

Originally posted by Lady's Human
According to the AP, there is a national bill along similar lines, which would require stores to track how much Sudafed you buy.

I wouldn't say they are really tracking it here, but I went to buy 2 boxes (48ct) of sinus pills and they didn't have any. So instead I was going to buy 4 (12ct) and I could only get three

I guess they only allow 3 boxes/person.
This was at Wal-Mart.

**DJFyrewolf36** · 08-01-2005, 10:33 AM

I think tracking who buys what ammount and limiting how much a person could buy could really help police crack down on the ammount of labs which is great because meth labs are very very dangerous (and they smell absolutely horrible). Requiring a perscription for OTC cold and alergy meds is kind of over the top IMO. People without insurance or those who cannot aford to go to the doctor every time they get a cold (like me) would really suffer.

Again, bad apples ruin it for everyone

**Andie** · 08-01-2005, 10:36 AM

Well coming from the meth capital of the world (New Madrid County MIssouri) there is alot of stuff that you can only buy a small amount of or there is an age restiction. I worked the night shift as a cashier at Wal Mart and there were alot of angry stuffy people. I think ours was 2-3 boxes depending on the strength of the ingredients. It's amazing the kind of crap people put in there bodies to get high though. We had to monitor what people were buying and the quanities. We watched for:

Butane fluid
Cleaners
Zinc batteries (which were locked in a room only the manager had a key for)
Cold meds. & Sinus meds. (lots of angry people over this one - some meds you had to be 18)
Super glue (had to be 18 to even buy it)
Gas containers
and others I can't think of right now.

I had to limit the amount of meds for all these sick people and then the tattoo guy and his wife came in every night and bought 30 cans (I counted them) of spray paint.

Nothing is ever said to these people.

**smokey the elder** · 08-01-2005, 10:46 AM

I think selling the stuff "behind the counter" where a pharmacist has to dispense it is more than sufficient. Whyintheheck should folks who have a cold have to strain the already-burdened health care system??

There is a new (actually old chemistry, but more expensive to make) compound that is being used now. This drug cannot be converted into meth without extensive chemistry knowledge. The pseudoephedrine reaction is one step, and this is why there's a problem.

When the new chemical (I'm spacing the name right now) comes out it'll probably be easier to get cold and allergy meds again.

One nitpick I have with Oregon's law: the active ingredient in Claratin is of a different chemical class and cannot be converted to meth.

**catnapper** · 08-01-2005, 11:41 AM

You know, I've been thinking about this. Last week I bought Tylenol Cold at Sams Club. HUGE box of 96 pills. Out in the open and nobody asked about it.

I have noticed that the Sudafed was locked behind the pharmacy at the Rite Aid. I had asked once to have a box, and felt awkward. All I wanted was relief from my sinus pressure and had to ask for it like it was something illicit.

**Luvin Labs** · 08-01-2005, 06:08 PM

The U.S. Congress is considering a bill that would move medicines containing pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed, NyQuil, and Tylenol Cold, behind pharmacy counters and limit how much one person can buy to 7.5 grams a month -- the equivalent of roughly 250 30-milligram tablets.

Customers also would be required to show a photo identification and sign a log.

Target where I work now (and I believe all Target stores all over) is doing this.

Sudafed is definitely behind the counters now and the customers have to sign for it. Its not a prescription, its just you have to sign for it.

Not tooooo sure how I feel about this, but if it stops illegal drugs from happening, then ok. But I don't want to be arrested for creating drugs when all I want is something for my allergies.

hmm...