Drug measure reduces burglary and harassment

Rotorua police say restrictions on prescribing and stocking medicines containing pseudoephedrine are keeping "undesirable" customers out of pharmacies.

It is nearly a year since doctors and pharmacists in the city announced restrictions on pseudoephedrine, one of the ingredients used in making pure methamphetamine, or P.

The move also prompted pharmacies in Gisborne, Bay of Plenty and Northland to impose voluntary restrictions.

Area commander Inspector Bruce Horne said police realised the restrictions did not solve the problem of P. Nevertheless, they were making a difference.

"Pharmacies banning it has been very successful ... it pushes it out of the community."

He said there were no longer the "undesirable people" going into pharmacies that there were a year ago, and staff felt safer.

Ngongotaha Pharmacy owner Ian Moore said the restrictions had achieved the desired effect.

"We don't have the problem of staff harassment ... and the risk of burglary just isn't there."

- NZPA