SURVEILLANCE INCREASINGLY FOCUSES ON COLD MEDICINES

Jul 1, 2005 12:00 PM, Erin Semple

Video surveillance is emerging as a tool in the effort to stem the spread of the drug crystal meth. One of the ingredients used to produce crystal meth is pseudoephedrine, which is common in cold/sinus medications. Illegal meth lab operators typically buy or steal large qualities of common, over-the-counter medicines.

Louisiana is following the lead of other middle America states in restricting the supply of cold medicines available on pharmacy shelves.

Louisiana State Sen. James David Cain has pushed a bill through the state senate to limit how much ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can be on display in a pharmacy and how many packages of the medication a consumer may purchase at a given time.

The bill was passed by the state house criminal justice committee in June, and it requires that the medicines be watched by pharmacists and surveillance cameras.

“Usually there are cameras there for safety anyways,” Cain says.

A similar bill reportedly helped Oklahoma cut the use of meth in its state by 50 percent. Texas has also introduced a similar bill, recently causing several people to come to Louisiana to purchase the cold medicines, Cain says.

“I live in the rural part of Louisiana, close to Texas, and we want to do something about this,” he adds.

The bill affects only cold medicine in tablet form, and does not restrict liquid or gel caps.

Sheriff Po Hataway of Colfax, La., says surveillance cameras would be used as a “tool.”

A similar bill passed in May in Hawaii. Senator Rosalyn Baker of Maui sponsored Hawaii's SB 1100 at the request of a community association in Kihei, Maui.

“Sale of pseudoephedrine products must take place in a restrictive setting behind a counter, from a location under constant video surveillance or within plain view of a store clerk,” Baker says.

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