Australia: Pharmacies sign up to fight illegal drug making

A national campaign to stop criminals using cold and flu medications to develop illegal drugs is gathering pace in Tasmania.

Almost 40 Tasmanian pharmacies have signed up for the campaign in just 30 days.

Project Pseudo is aimed at preventing criminals from buying large quantities of medications containing pseudoephedrine that can be used to make speed.

Louise Sullivan from the Tasmanian branch of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia says a number of illegal speed labs have been discovered in Tasmania.

"There's a very large market out there for these drugs that are turned into speed and used with things like ecstasy," she said.

Pharmacies that volunteer for Project Pseudo are required to move cold and flu drugs to less accessible areas of their shops, to limit multiple pack sales and to question customers about the reason for their purchase.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org/amphetablog.html
Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2005
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Copyright: 2005 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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