Battle against P: Will some cold and flu meds be banned?

13 Aug 2010 08:29a.m.

Liz wrote:

Why don't you listen to what Tim has to say instead of yelling over him and making a dick of yourself? If you let him get a word in edgewise he would probably have spoken about what his organisation actually wants. They are not saying that curing a runny nose is more important than fighting P. Nor do they want the government to leave precursor products as they are. They don't want the medication to be reclassified to Class 2B for a number of very rational and valid reasons that you didn't let him explain because you yelled over him and deliberately flustered him. Up to 90% of precursors are actually imported, mainly from China in the form of ContacNT tablets, and that's what the big organised P operations are using to create the bulk of methamphetamine in NZ. The backyard lab pill shopping pharmacy hoppers are no-hoper addicts cooking for themselves or small scale selling. Yes that is still bad and worth doing something about - que 'Project STOP', which Tim and the NZSMI advocate. It would introduce real-time, instant electronic recording, checking and monitoring of all precursor sales and help actually identify the tweakers instead of driving them underground to figure out a recipe they don't need ephedrine for. It is nearly automatic. It would also provide our pharmacists with an amazing tool to detect other drug abuse, and detect doctor shoppers - another reason not to go the prescription only route - doctors are inundated already, why burden them with thousands of people with blocked sinuses, AND the meth heads trying to scam prescriptions? Why pass the buck when you can solve the problem? This country needs Project STOP or something similar, a central database, for pharmacists and medical professionals to run names and view recent attempts to obtain precursor drugs or other drugs commonly abused (like codeine or benzos). Next time plesae try and treat your guest like a human being and don't completely prejudge what they're going to say.

04 Sep 2009 06:47a.m.

Shannon wrote:

There is still a large amount bought in-stores, people travel around more than just one town buying one packet at each store...

20 Aug 2009 10:03a.m.

ONEMUM wrote:

Fantastic, I'd rather suffer the effects of a cold then let this P plague take hold of some kiwis, it's about time this talk has happened. I think drug problems and long term unemployment are linked to my experience. I think they should be doing more and aim for harsher penalties, as dealers/ manufactures can effect thousands of other peoples life in NZ, resulting in abuse, marriage break-ups, crime rates and effect NZ as a whole.

19 Aug 2009 06:26p.m.

Philip wrote:

I've always been asked for ID when I'm buying anything and normally only buying one packet.

19 Aug 2009 04:05p.m.

Ryan wrote:

Pure genius. But why stop there: Let's ban ski masks because people use them to rob stores. Let's ban condoms because rapists often use them so they don't leave DNA evidence. Let's ban horticulture supplies because people use them to grow marijuana. Let's ban glue because people sniff it. Let's ban cars because people speed in them. Let's ban hoddies because... oh wait, some places do try to ban them.

19 Aug 2009 01:17p.m.

cherie wrote:

What a load of rubbish.
The biggest suppliers of this do not get it from the local chemist.
It is illegally import in bulk not in packets of 20!!