Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

No ban on cold & cough remedies, for now

12 February 2004 Media release

No ban on cold & cough remedies, for now

The coalition government has accepted Ministry of Health advice not to ban cold and cough remedies containing the ingredient pseudoephedrine at this time, Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton said today.

Pseudoephedrine is used in the manufacture of the illicit drug, methamphetamine.

"The Ministry of Health has recommended that the government does not ban medicines containing pseudoephedrine and ministers note and accept the recommendations, for now," the Progressive leader said.

"Of course, ministers will continue to monitor the situation to see if this issue needs to be revisited in the future if other government actions and programmes do not have enough effect on the country's serious methamphetamine problem," Jim Anderton said.

Last year, Jim Anderton told the Health Select Committee that he would consider banning methamphetamine ingredients psuedoephedrine and ephedrine if he could be assured that by doing so illicit methamphetamine production would be stopped or severely restricted.

At the time, however, his view was that last year's reclassification of methamphetamine into a Class A hard drug, steps in train to classify methamphetamine ingredients and other actions taken by the government, police, pharmacists and local communities would collectively provide the conditions and regulations required to stem the diversion of legal medicines into illicit methamphetamine manufacture.

Health officials have advised ministers that an outright ban now on cold and cough potions containing the ingredient pseudoephedrine risked doing more harm in the long term than any good it could do in the immediate future.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

An outright ban now might have an initial impact on methamphetamine production, but it would also be likely lead to increasing illicit importation and use of other ingredients in methamphetamine manufacture by hard drug importation rings.

Health officials advise that while a ban on cold and cough remedies containing the ingredient pseudoephedrine could in time exacerbate illicit importation of ingredients for methamphetamine, among the immediate costs of banning pseudoephedrine in cold remedies would include increased visits to general practitioners by people who would have otherwise self-medicated.

As an oral decongestant, pseudoephedrine provides effective relief from symptoms of colds and flu for hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders. It is the most effective and safest treatment for treating the symptoms of nasal, sinus and eustachian tube congestion.

http://www.progressive.org.nz
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/anderton

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.