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Tightening sales of pseudoephedrine 'a success'

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1745826.htm

The Queensland Government says a crackdown on sales of medicines containing pseudoephedrine has resulted in 34 drug-related arrests in the state.

Tighter controls were put in place in January in an effort to curb the illegal manufacture of amphetamines.

Pharmacists have been recording the details of people buying products like cold-and-flu tablets and police can access the information.

Queensland's Health Minister Stephen Robertson says the system has proved a success.

"As a result of this project, which was auspiced by the Pharmacy Guild, some 34 arrests have been made under the Drug Misuse Act, culminating in 195 charges to date, which is an impressive record," he said.

He says other jurisdictions are closely watching the scheme.

"Queensland was the first state to kick this project off with the Pharmacy Guild," he said.

"As I understand it, there is some interest now in interstate and I would certainly encourage other states to go down this path."

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Queensland's Health Minister Stephen Robertson says the system has proved a success.

"As a result of this project, which was auspiced by the Pharmacy Guild, some 34 arrests have been made under the Drug Misuse Act, culminating in 195 charges to date, which is an impressive record," he said.

Meanwhile, 2000 people have been denied access to pseudoephedrine medication when they had really nasty colds....

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oh crap I hope they dont come after me! I just bought 3 packs over a period of about 6 days due to working 12hr+ shifts with a horrible flu. Each time tho I never asked for them, they just looked at my fucked up head and went "ok you need the 'behind the counter' stuff"

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I think Qld has electronic recording details on a network between pharmacies, so if you try to buy multiple packs it flashes up a red flag.

Over in WA, we have paper recording which has SFA chance of recognising 'pharmacy shopping' for pseudo.

Meanwhile, 2000 people have been denied access to pseudoephedrine medication when they had really nasty colds....

I have only refused sale to one customer on the grounds of them being a dodgy mofo. I have heard figures like "90% of the psuedo stock for the illicit trade is known to come from purchases from pharmacies"-make of it what you will

I think that the system is cumbersome and an invasion of privacy, but I can't think of any better way of doing it. The authorities were trying to make psuedo-only preparations S8 and all combo-preparations S4!

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I have heard figures like "90% of the psuedo stock for the illicit trade is known to come from purchases from pharmacies"-make of it what you will

I think that sounds like bollocks to me. I've got a nose for urban myths. The availability of speed dictates there is another source of it. Why does the chemical company down the road from me have a sign posted out the front "No Pseuodoephedrine kept on premises" ?? Because places like that get raided. I'd hazard a guess that that place actually does contain pseudo... based purely on the 24/7 security, the massive fences, and CCTV cameras. There is something funny about the american flag flying out front too.

Nukes in baulkham hills??? I think so! :lol:

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Over in WA, we have paper recording which has SFA chance of recognising 'pharmacy shopping' for pseudo.

I have only refused sale to one customer on the grounds of them being a dodgy mofo.

Yeah but I think it's safe to infer that you're a nice pharmacy guy ;)

Once last year I was buying some for my girlfriend. They looked at me as if I was holding a gun and asking them to open the till.

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yeah speed and meth...

"they" (the cops, the law) are treating people who are "into it" almost like terrorists...

"their" perception of the drug must be that the ppl who take it open the gates of hell or something...

I'd advise anyone with a meth habit to come off it or at least have a break from it, because "they" will get you, "they're" redhot on doing so...

a guy with long experience said not long ago:

"It's like, all the bad things they said about cannabis, are actually true for meth..."

it definitely fucks with your mind, one way or another...

not worth going to jail for...

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gomaos - i completely agree.

I had a friend who was the nicest guy ever. A bit dumb, but intelligence is never something to base a friendship on. He was always well-meaning, and thoughtful. Any favour you could ask, big or small, he would always help out.

He became a meth junky. He was dating my girlfriends cousin. His fuse would get shorter and shorter until one day he hit her. I didn't find out about this until later on, but she broke up with him then and there, and I didn't blame her with the way he was acting anyway.

One day at a party, 6 months after the breakup, his ex said he was stalking her and asked if I could help out. I thought "well its only XXXXX how bad can he be?" He turned up and they argued. It was an ex couple having it out, far be it for me to step in. Her brother approached me, and asked me to get rid of XXXXX. I said he was harmless and then I found out the full story.

I did what I had to do to help her out (her brother is a big teddy-bear. he even hugged XXXXX earlier in the night. he doesn't deal well with these situations.) and this included dragging my old friend outside and giving him a little 'panel beating.'

I told him what he did to her was weak, and he started to justify it. I'm sorry, but forcing yourself onto someone weaker than you is unjustifiable.

I'm getting off the point - Meth (as much as a foaf likes it) will eventually screw with someones brain. XXXXX had his brain in a microwave for three years solid, cooking on high. I loved that guy, but I couldn't let him do what he did to this poor girl all over again. She was only just regaining her trust in men....

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It get a tad frustraiting being treated like a criminal when I want cold and flue medicine. The alternative..whatever its called, simply doesnt work for me when I get a cold. I tried to tell the pharmacist that and was greeted with a look of "dont even try it you sick pathetic meth addict" and promptly told I was allowed to buy any. Its not nessasarily age discrimination either, though that wouldn't have helped. My father at age 45 was told he was only allowed one packet. Perhaps we both just look like speed freaks >_>

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Ok if your really desperate try and find an old security uniform, or hell even just one of those blue security bomber jackets, rub a herb on your nose irritate it, mention something about an extremely long night shift and they will give you what u want. Im just guessing tho I have no experience in this at all

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Fuck that, if they ever refuse me sale, i'll be walking straight to my GP to get a script and then walking back down to the chemist to shove it up their ass.

Even before all this pseudo crackdown they always gave me a lecture. I regularly told them I'd heard it b4, was late and just give me my pills. I have actually had suicidal thoughts after years of hayfever and nothing working very well or for very long.(my tolerance builds up quick) One day I was thoroughly pissed off at it, decided, fuck this, I'm gona go try sumthing new new. And there it was, NEW zyrtec. Perfect I said, I'll have a box of that thanks. Left and took a pill as I got into the car, BAM... Hayfever gone within 15minutes. I have used this for years, with no problems or tolerance. I soon figured it was just the pseudo and not the other cirtizine that was helping me, so if I ever ran out, i just took sum/any random cold/flu tablet with pseudo and I was rite. Eventually I started buying just Pseudofed, but when this shit happened I went back to my zyrtec for less hassle. I havn't been refused sale yet, but it's on my list to get a script next time I'm at my GP.

AFter all, no GP will deny me Pseudo if I say it causes suicidal thoughts at it's worst.

I should clarify, that I don't wanna die, but sumtimes compared to the hayfever shit it would be preferable.

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New Zyrtec, Cetirizine HCL 5mg 12hours relief,120mg Pseudo-time release. The Plain Zyrtec is 10mg 24hour relief, no pseudo.

I'm hoping my GP can get me sum custom Pseudo's of lower strength time release and some low dose instant release, so if it's not bad, I don't need so much Pseudo going through my liver and I can adjust my dosage depending on my needs, rather than just being stuck with one dose for all intensities of hayfever.

Oh, and if they ever do ever say shit about meth to me, i'll give them the biggest serving of their life and dress them down right in front of the whole store! How dare they call me a methh user! Knowing them though, they'd prob think I was in a Meth rage.

Other times, I've had to point it out to the lady behind the counter andshe just said "Guess u know wat u want" and sold it to me, no lecture, nothing! I don't think she'd been informed of Pseudo yet.

One time the actual chemist came out to give me a lecture on how bad it was. My reply was simply, Nothing but Pseudo works for me, I don't really give a shit about my liver at the moment, unless u want to give me some FREE samples of the others to try, can I please just have my Tabs, I'm in a hurry thanks. Seemed to shut her up.

Edited by naja naja

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I'm hoping Catha will save me all this inconvenience and $1+ per friggin tab! Yeah, sure Pseudo's cheap as a precurser, but not for a hayfever sufferer who sumtimes couldn't work without them. After one tab I can walk behind a tractor blowing dust and not sneeze once. I hope Catha works aswell.

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i'm curious -- would it be worth a syndicate's while to grow ephedra plants themselves and secure a steady source of ephedrine, rather than deal with the added bullshit of paying for the pills or importing it?

and yeah i agree with azz, i think pharmacies are just a drop in the ocean when it comes to ephedrine sources. aside from importation from overseas i'm sure there are plenty of crooked insiders.

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i'm curious -- would it be worth a syndicate's while to grow ephedra plants themselves and secure a steady source of ephedrine, rather than deal with the added bullshit of paying for the pills or importing it?

and yeah i agree with azz, i think pharmacies are just a drop in the ocean when it comes to ephedrine sources. aside from importation from overseas i'm sure there are plenty of crooked insiders.

Nah I don't think they would bother with ephedrine at all, there are other ways besides ghetto pill extractions :P thats the kinda thing a lone junky would do.

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Naja--if you do goto the doc's for a script you may be better off asking for a script for ephedrine nasal drops.

a solution ov 2% in a 10ml brown glass bottle w/a dropper used to be available over the counter (at least here in Vic), but for the last 5+ years it's only been available w/a letter (not a prescription) from your doctor.

this stuff works much better & faster than pseudoephedrine as it's administered to & absorbed at the site ov the problem.

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My father at age 45 was told he was only allowed one packet.
Even before all this pseudo crackdown they always gave me a lecture.

These are both standard protocol for any pharmacy (in WA anyway). Multi-pack sales are not allowed and pharmacy assistants are told to question everyone wanting a pseudo-containing product with regards to symptoms, medications etc.... how else are you going to nut out a meth cook? :slap:

The system really is a farce... as you were saying Naja, the best way to circumnavigate the BS would to get a script for it, once the pharmacist saw that they would sell it to you OTC no questions asked. Have you ever been to the GP for your hayfever? It sounds pretty bad, the doctor could prescribe some preventative meds if you get it regularly.

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Nabraxas: I can't stand putting nasal drops in my nose. Always seemed to cause more irritation that it solved. Not to mention the god aweful taste in the back of ur throat.

Oxy: I've been to the doc's heaps for hayfever. Mostly during my teen years. I spent 18months once with cronic hayfever everyday. I don't get the puffy eyes or the itching, but I just sneeze and sneeze and sneeze for hours on end with my nose running like a faucet. It was very disruptive in school, as I found it hard to concentrate or even fane enthusiasim. Some times in summer, I just have to sit inside all day with the aircon filtering all the air, and thats after a pseudo tab. It's like a tiny irritation in the nasal passsage that won't go away. The best I can seem to do is deaden that area.

Other times I do shit that should cause massive hayfever, like moving haybails and I don't get shit! I still havn't figured the trigger, but it seems to be hot, dry air. Like, now in winter, I've only taken one tab in the last 2-3 months.

I've had prescriptions for nasal sprays before, so I doubt i'll have any probs getting a script for Pseudo.

Re:Catha edulis, Does anyone know if this is an effective treatment for hayfever?

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i'm curious -- would it be worth a syndicate's while to grow ephedra plants themselves and secure a steady source of ephedrine, rather than deal with the added bullshit of paying for the pills or importing it?

and yeah i agree with azz, i think pharmacies are just a drop in the ocean when it comes to ephedrine sources. aside from importation from overseas i'm sure there are plenty of crooked insiders.

Crooked insiders are what makes the world go 'round at the moment. :angry:

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Have u had blood tests naja? I got some and found that I get my mega hay fever symptoms from an allergy, they dont know what is it cause it ran negative to all the things they tested against (eg food, pollen, chems). Ive never had help from catha but there is another plant that may help u if u study up on some aryudeva(sp?). Its been mentioned on these forums plenty of times.

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naja I already said it, Catha is a far less viable option than growing Sida.

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oh, must have missed that. I can't see anything in ur first post about it. Was it in this thread?

DO ya rekon Sida would grow down here in the cold SW of W.A.? I thought it might need to live in my greenhouse. Atleast the Khat survives outside once it's established, they grow well in Perth.

I was planning on giving it a try anywayz, just didn't hold too much hope for a sustainably thriving plant.

I don't even mind substituting various things when available with my normal Pseudo pills, just would prefer sumthing natural if I could source it.

Wish they still sold herbal ephedra.

ANd nah, I havn't had blood tests. I should do that I spose.

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Sorry, my bad, it seems I only dreamed I already said it lol.

Sida should grow just about anywhere. If it's cold, stick them in the greenhouse :)

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