Govt considers banning pseudoephedrine products

[Happy]

From ABC, April 16, 2007

GOVT CONSIDERS BANNING PSEUDOEPHEDRINE PRODUCTS

The federal Minister for Ageing, Christopher Pyne, has confirmed that the Government is considering banning pharmaceutical products that contain pseudoephedrine.
Pseudoephedrine is used in cold and flu medicines but is also used in the manufacture of illegal methamphetamines.

Mr Pyne says while there are more than 280 products that contain pseudoephedrine, alternatives are available.
He says he sought advice three weeks ago to see if a ban would be workable.
"We have to decide whether the advantages of doing that outweigh the disadvantages or not," he said.
"So I've asked the National Working Group on Precursor Chemicals to give me a piece of advice on whether they think it could be done and whether it should be done."

Mr Pyne says a ban would significantly disrupt the illegal drug trade.
"In the battle against drugs we need to consider all policy options available," he said.

"The banning of pseudoephedrine has the great advantage of in one fell swoop, wiping out the basic ingredient of ecstasy and other methamphetimines and synthetic drugs, and ice."

I heard about that few years back, but libertarians and producers came out in force to cry for human liberty and freedom and democratic rights and blah blah.

Well this is not the first item that is proposed to be removed irrespectively if there is legitimate use or not.
My famous one is road hump, smooth road is removed as a designed for hoons, yet affecting every other legitimate and law abiding citizen, just tough.

 

[billhill]

Definitly a good idea but once again has only comeabout as a counter to Labors proposals. Plus big pharma will have a lot to say about it. It doubt it will get up as long as the libs are in power more a symbolic move before the election IMO.

 

[Prospector]

This is just not fair. Pseudoephedrine is the only thing that works with my partner's chronic sinusitis condition. The other product they have replaced it with does not work for him. So what he is to do now? Nothing about civil libertarianism at all He has a medical condition that sometimes renders him unable to work, that only responds to this drug and maybe he wont be able to have access to it. Lets ban alcohol, gambling and cigarettes then! And cars, lets ban cars and motor bikes! Seriously

 

[YELNATS]

This is just not fair. Pseudoephedrine is the only thing that works with my partner's chronic sinusitis condition. The other product they have replaced it with does not work for him. So what he is to do now? Nothing about civil libertarianism at all He has a medical condition that sometimes renders him unable to work, that only responds to this drug and maybe he wont be able to have access to it. Lets ban alcohol, gambling and cigarettes then! And cars, lets ban cars and motor bikes! Seriously

Government could put it on prescription so the supply is controlled by pharmacies and only genuine patients have access to it.

 

[investforwealth]

Goevrnment could put it on prescription so the supply is controlled by pharmacies and only genuine patients have access to it.

Or take it one step further and schedule it up there with the other drugs that require doctors to obtain an authority before prescribing. Then it ends up being stored in the safe at the pharmacy, requiring pharmacists to account for every pill and reducing the possibility of it being misappropriated by pharmacy staff. Then only the patients who really need it have access to it, and in controlled quantities.

There's still the possibility of the end user diverting it to illicit drug manufacturers though.

 

[stockGURU]

Why are Australians always willing to give up their liberty without even so much as a whimper?

Next thing they'll be banning alcohol because of what alcoholics might do.

One day we will be enslaved by totalitarianism because of our willingness to trade our liberty for a perceived sense of order. There have always been drug addicts and there will always be drug addicts. Banning things is not the answer, drug producers will simply import it illegally or make it in backyard laboratories instead, putting more lives at risk.

 

[nomore4s]

Why are Australians always willing to give up their liberty without even so much as a whimper?

Next thing they'll be banning alcohol because of what alcoholics might do.

One day we will be enslaved by totalitarianism because of our willingness to trade our liberty for a perceived sense of order. There have always been drug addicts and there will always be drug addicts. Banning things is not the answer, drug producers will simply import it illegally or make it in backyard laboratories instead, putting more lives at risk.

I agree, if the government thinks that by banning this they will stop or slow the drug trade they are dreaming.

 

[Happy]

From ABC, April 16, 2007

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE BAN 'WON'T STOP PROBLEM'

Pharmacists say a Federal Government proposal to impose a blanket ban on pseudoephedrine is a bad idea.

The Minister for Ageing, Christopher Pyne, is seeking advice on whether a ban would be workable, saying it would significantly disrupt the manufacture of illegal methamphetamines such as ecstasy.

Mr Pyne says while there are more than 280 products that contain pseudoephedrine, alternatives are available.

But Ian Todd from the Pharmacy Guild says it would deny the public a useful medicine while failing to target the main source of the problem.

"Pseudoephedrine's a very valuable chemical for those people in the community that want to treat all sorts of things, coughs, colds, hay fever, those sorts of things," he said.

"A blanket ban is probably not going to stop the problem - there's a large amount of pseudoephedrine-based product that comes in though Customs."

Similar comments to ones above in our posts.

And difficult issue if not impossible to please everybody.

 

[YELNATS]

There's still the possibility of the end user diverting it to illicit drug manufacturers though.

That's still a possibility, but in much reduced quantities though.

 

[Julia]

This is just not fair. Pseudoephedrine is the only thing that works with my partner's chronic sinusitis condition. The other product they have replaced it with does not work for him. So what he is to do now? Nothing about civil libertarianism at all He has a medical condition that sometimes renders him unable to work, that only responds to this drug and maybe he wont be able to have access to it. Lets ban alcohol, gambling and cigarettes then! And cars, lets ban cars and motor bikes! Seriously

Agreed. I have a similar sinus problem. Used to take just one 60mg Sudafed tablet (pseudoephedrine without anything else) which was enough to take the edge off the problem. It was banned about a year ago. The alternative products containing pseudoephedrine have a higher dose of the drug which I don't want and which makes me jumpy. Consequently I either have pain and blocked nose or use a vasoconstrictor nasal spray which is very much not a good idea for a long term problem.

I am totally fed up with the majority having their lives disrupted because of a dumb and/or criminal minority. As has already been said, the junkies will always find a way. They will always get top marks for ingenuity.

Slightly off topic, I guess, but it all seems a part of the "nanny state" where we are being told what we can and cannot do in almost every part of our lives. I even read a suggestion from someone last week that with the water crisis in Qld there should be water police who come and supervise the homes of "water guzzlers", timing their showers, how often they flush the toilet etc.

Whatever happened to our freedom?

 

[investforwealth]

Agreed. I have a similar sinus problem. Used to take just one 60mg Sudafed tablet (pseudoephedrine without anything else) which was enough to take the edge off the problem. It was banned about a year ago. The alternative products containing pseudoephedrine have a higher dose of the drug which I don't want and which makes me jumpy. Consequently I either have pain and blocked nose or use a vasoconstrictor nasal spray which is very much not a good idea for a long term problem.

If you go to your doctor, you should still be able to get a prescription for the "old" sudafed. Many pharmacists will tell you that you cannot get it any more but it is still available with a script.

I even read a suggestion from someone last week that with the water crisis in Qld there should be water police who come and supervise the homes of "water guzzlers", timing their showers, how often they flush the toilet etc.

You can read what our wonderful state gov't is planning at the website of the Queensland Water Commissioner. An extract from one of their news releases..

There are around 110,000 households in the region that are using more than 800 litres of water a day – just 15 percent of the community are responsible for 30 percent of our daily consumption.”

“We understand that there could be good reasons for high water use. For example a large number of people in a household, lots of young children, or looking after an invalid could require heavy water use,” Ms Nosworthy said..

“It is for these reasons that the identified households will be asked to complete a mandatory self assessment water use form,” she said.

“They will receive a letter from their local council which will draw attention to their water use and introduce them to an individually-tailored water saving program.

“Once the form has been assessed the household will receive a customised water saving plan, free of charge, to help the household save water in a way relevant to their pattern of use.

“Failure to submit a completed self assessment form (either by mail or online) will result in an immediate household ban on outside watering. This additional Level 5 restriction will remain in force until the form is submitted.”

“If households breach this or any other Level 5 water they will be liable for restriction fines of $150 for each offence. If unjustified high water use continues such households may face even tougher restrictions or the possibility of much heavier fines in the future if they don’t modify their water use.

Who needs Channel 10's Big Brother... we've got our own version that seems to be becoming more and more pervasive day by day. Sorry if we're getting a bit OT.

 

[Prospector]

We do have a script for the real sudafed, but if the drug is banned, then that is worthless, isnt it! No-one will be allowed to carry it, that is the whole point of Pyne's idea! Remember the old days when you could buy sudafed in Coles and Woolies?

Re the water thing - did you see Chasers War last week - apparently Coca Cola receives something like 1000 megalitres (sorry, the terms confuse me) for something like $2.50. Excuse me if I think the Government regulations stink; householders are not and NEVER were the problems when it comes to water consumption. And your 'high-end' users Investforwealth are mere babies in the overall scheme of things!