'Drug fears could force Lemsip off shelves'

[Lunar Loops]

Ahh, don't you just love these scaremongering tales from the so called serious press? This from The Telegraph (UK):

'Drug fears could force Lemsip off shelves'

By Duncan Hooper and agencies

Last Updated: 9:28am BST 25/04/2007


Some over-the-counter flu remedies could become prescription-only amid mounting police concern that their ingredients can be used in the manufacture of the class A drug "crystal meth".
Caroline Flint, the health minister, said that police were increasingly worried that pseudoephedrine and ephedrine - used as decongestants in products such as Lemsip - can be extracted "relatively easily" and used to make methylamphetamine.
She warned of "very serious" consequences if methylamphetamine - known as crystal meth or "ice" - secured a hold in the UK Reducing the ease with which common decongestants can be purchased could make manufacture of the drug more difficult, she added.
Producing similar effects to crack cocaine when smoked, crystal meth is a highly-addictive stimulant and can cause serious physical and psychological harm.
It has caused major problems in a number of US cities and was reclassified as a class A drug in Britain at the beginning of this year.
Evidence suggests chronic use can lead to psychosis, including paranoia and violent behaviour.

[Nagognog2]

This is why I kept by son in my house for his entire 14 years of life - and breast-feed him! Oh no! The horror! He might catch the flu and go get addicted to meth! Anyone know a good locksmith? I want to change the bolts on his door!

SHRIEK! SHREIK! SHRIEK! SHREIK!

<it sure was nice of Mr. Blair to be Georgie's lapdog>

[Alicia]

Oh yes, this coming from the same women behind the claus that effectively banned fresh magic mushrooms saying that they could cause heart problems when there has been no effective proof of that.

Ban the matches too there really dangerous Caroline.

[rod]

mr. Blair sounds like our dictator in the us

[Lunar Loops]

This from the BBC website:


Crystal meth fears over medicine



Some over-the-counter flu remedies could face restrictions, amid fears that they are being used to produce the highly addictive drug, crystal meth.
Pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, contained in certain flu remedies, can be used to make the drug.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is considering making these ingredients prescription-only.
It comes after Health Minister Caroline Flint said police found the ingredients in raids on drug factories.
Crystal meth, also known as methylamphetamine, was reclassified last January as a Class A drug.


The highly addictive substance affects the central nervous system and can cause serious physical and psychological harm.
When smoked in its crystalline form, the stimulant produces effects similar to, but longer-lasting than, crack cocaine.
According to research findings, chronic use can lead to psychosis, including paranoia and violent behaviour.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is now considering plans to restrict the pack size of medicines and make pseudoephedrine and ephedrine prescription-only.

In a written Commons answer,Ms Flint said: "Although the prevalence of misuse of methylamphetamine is believed to be currently low in the UK, the Association of Chief Police Officers are receiving increasing levels of intelligence about the prevalence of methylamphetamine.
"If methylamphetamine did secure a hold in the UK, the consequences would undoubtedly be very serious.
"The international experience shows that misuse can spread rapidly when certain conditions prevail and the advice of UK enforcement authorities is that most of these conditions now prevail in the UK."
The minister said ACPO and the Serious Organised Crime Agency had advised that the availability of the drug was "increasing" - as shown by a rise in illicit laboratories manufacturing the drug in the UK. Martin Barnes, chief executive of DrugScope, said: "Tighter control on medicines which can be used to manufacture crystal meth would be a sensible precautionary measure and should be supported, although making medicines containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine available only on prescription is just one option. "Pharmacists should be made fully aware of the potential for misuse of these medicines so they can alert the police about suspicious or bulk purchases. Also, manufacturers might need to consider whether these ingredients are essential to their products, or whether alternatives could be found."

[nuckinfutz]

Why is meth compared to crack? SWIM never found the two to be similar at all. Meth is much more like its amphetamine cousins, just more intense.

[Nagognog2]

Originally Posted by nuckinfutz

Why is meth compared to crack? SWIM never found the two to be similar at all. Meth is much more like its amphetamine cousins, just more intense.

Because they are Central Nervous Stimulants. And they affect the same part of the brain.

[The Doors]

What I find even even funnier is that the general public will read this and just accept that some other chemical that is worthless to them be set illegal. So many people just don't give a shit about anything that these political clowns can just get away with everything they do. And to those that actually pay attention, the majority believe what the media is feeding them.

[snapper]

You breastfed your son for 14 years Nag ?
Somehow the image of the clockwork orange guy breastfeeding bothers me. I'll try to imagine a gorilla breastfeeding - that's better.
Hope you weren't taking any cough and cold remedies as they would concentrate in the breastmilk and cause your son to become addicted later in life.

[Trebor]

*bangs head of desk and moans*

SO, a medicine that tastes good and is very affetcive is somehow more dangerous then morphine becuase it's addictive? Try telling that to someone who isn't my granny.

[zera]

Originally Posted by Trebor

*bangs head of desk and moans*

SO, a medicine that tastes good and is very affetcive is somehow more dangerous then morphine becuase it's addictive? Try telling that to someone who isn't my granny.

Ahh but the fundamental problem is that its people like your granny who show up at droves to the polls, while young people have low voter turnout. So who do you think the politicians cater to?

[D.U.M.B]

If a ban on lemsip ever happens (SWIM didn't think he'd ever write those words) SWIM is sure the goverment will unveil this great product to ease your flu and pains. Sure it will be overpriced but hell the government don't care, more money in their pockets

[Bildo]

As far as I'm aware my government aren't a major competitor in the drugs industry so this is unlikely to happen.
I also thought that it was pretty difficult to obtain ephidrine here in the UK, fairly sure it's prescription only. Pseudoephidrine is easyily come by from the supermarket but is it possible to manufacture crystal meth using this as a starting product?