Making Psuedephedrine products in to prescription drugs won’t solve the meth lab problem
October 26, 2008
Representative John Mizuno of Hawaii is asking legislators to make cold and allergy products containing pseudoephedrine available by prescription only. Mizuno hopes that by changing the classification of Sudafed and similar products to Schedule III drugs, that he will cut off the drugs that meth cooks need to manufacture methamphetamine. The problem is cutting off the source of pseudoephedrine in neighborhood drug stores isn’t going to stop the meth lab problem. In fact, it’s going to create another problem for those who don’t have medical insurance who suffer from colds and allergies.
If the legislators in Hawaii make cold and allergy products available by prescription only, Mizuno may put some meth cooks out of business - temporarily. Like the Combat Meth Act that put Sudafed behind pharmacy counters, the prescription move may initially show a drop in meth labs, but it won’t last. There’s simply too much money being made off the sale of methamphetamine for meth cooks to close up shop.
Manufacturing meth is a business, a very profitable one, at that. I don’t know of any profitable business that would close their doors because they’ve lost a supplier. They find a new one, as quickly as possible. Meth distribution rings would be lining up to supply Hawaii’s meth lab cooks with as many pseudoephedrine pills, as they need. They’d love it if pseudoephedrine became a prescription only drug.
Mizuno’s intentions are good, but I’m afraid that changing pseudoephedrine to a Schedule III drug will be no more effective that the Combat Meth Act 2005. There will be an initial drop in meth labs that will be followed by a reversal of that trend. Those addicted to meth will do what it takes to get the drug they are physically addicted to. They will also do what ever it takes to make alot of money. In a sense, they strive to live the American dream that they see portrayed on TV newscasts every night - CEO’s, sports figures, movie stars pulling in multi-million dollar salaries. Drug addicts are a product of their environment, in more ways than one. If we want to stop the meth lab problem, we have got to address the meth addiction problem and we have got to address the fact that people who manufacture meth need job training and opportunities to earn a comfortable living.
Reference: Matthews, Kirk, “Legislators are trying to restrict the availability of Crystal Meth in Hawaii”, 10/21/08, http://www.khon2.com/home/ticker/32027664.html
Comments
What do you think?