Wabash Valley woman didn’t realize second cold medicine purchase violated drug l

[Chris_]

Wabash Valley woman didn’t realize second cold medicine purchase violated drug laws

CLINTON — When Sally Harpold bought cold medicine for her family back in March, she never dreamed that four months later she would end up in handcuffs.

Now, Harpold is trying to clear her name of criminal charges, and she is speaking out in hopes that a law will change so others won’t endure the same embarrassment she still is facing.

“This is a very traumatic experience,” Harpold said.

Harpold is a grandmother of triplets who bought one box of Zyrtec-D cold medicine for her husband at a Rockville pharmacy. Less than seven days later, she bought a box of Mucinex-D cold medicine for her adult daughter at a Clinton pharmacy, thereby purchasing 3.6 grams total of pseudoephedrine in a week’s time.

Those two purchases put her in violation of Indiana law 35-48-4-14.7, which restricts the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, or PSE, products to no more than 3.0 grams within any seven-day period.

When the police came knocking at the door of Harpold’s Parke County residence on July 30, she was arrested on a Vermillion County warrant for a class-C misdemeanor, which carries a sentence of up to 60 days in jail and up to a $500 fine. But through a deferral program offered by Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina Alexander, the charge could be wiped from Harpold’s record by mid-September.

Harpold’s story is one that concerns some law-abiding citizens who fear that innocent people will get mistakenly caught in the net of meth abuse roundups.

Yup, just another law designed to protect us all.     No provision that allows charges to be dropped upon further investigation.  Idiots.


MORE

[Thor]

And yet, one can still purchase as much pseudoephedrine via the internet as they want/ can afford. All these laws did was hurt the average, law abiding citizen.

[Ralph Wiggum]

And yet, one can still purchase as much pseudoephedrine via the internet as they want/ can afford. All these laws did was hurt the average, law abiding citizen.

You can?  I thought that would be pretty well tracked as well.

Not that I'm in the market to do such a thing.

[jinxmchue]

And yet, one can still purchase as much pseudoephedrine via the internet as they want/ can afford. All these laws did was hurt the average, law abiding citizen.

Yep.  Laws like these create tyranny, not liberty.

[Ptarmigan]

Stupidity at work.

[Thor]

That was my complaint when they passed this ridiculous law, they didn't take into account that pseudoephedrine can be purchased  via the internet in vast quantities from overseas pharmacies. I remember being able to purchase cold medications from Sam's Club in unimaginable quantities there. What the law makers didn't take into account is the fact that a person would have to buy numerous packages of cold medicine from the local pharmacy because the packages only contain a week or two worth of medication. The amount needed to make a reasonable amount of meth is unreal. This law was merely feel-good legislation and never truly addressed the REAL problem.

[debk]

If I buy cold medicine at Kroger's (I only buy tylenol allergy and sinus)...I have to do everything but pass a drug test to purchase it! They only allow so much to be purchased within a specific time frame...though I don't know what it is.

If I buy it at Sam's, Walmart, Kmart or Target....nothing!

I feel sorry for that woman....if you don't set out to do something criminal...chances are you have no clue that what you just did is criminal. (does that make sense?) Since it would never occur to me to make meth, and if no one made a deal out of me buying one box...I wouldn't think twice about buying a second box. I could just as easily have done what she did....

[AllosaursRus]

But through a deferral program offered by Vermillion County Prosecutor Nina Alexander, the charge could be wiped from Harpold’s record by mid-September.

Oh ain't that mighty generous of an overzealous prosecuter! How about figuring ya got the wrong person and DISAPEAR!

[MrsSmith]

If I buy cold medicine at Kroger's (I only buy tylenol allergy and sinus)...I have to do everything but pass a drug test to purchase it! They only allow so much to be purchased within a specific time frame...though I don't know what it is.

If I buy it at Sam's, Walmart, Kmart or Target....nothing!

I feel sorry for that woman....if you don't set out to do something criminal...chances are you have no clue that what you just did is criminal. (does that make sense?) Since it would never occur to me to make meth, and if no one made a deal out of me buying one box...I wouldn't think twice about buying a second box. I could just as easily have done what she did....

I had a problem purchasing cold meds at Wal-Mart...and they weren't even the kind with pseudoephedrine!  I tried to buy one box of the Wal-Mart brand Daytime Cold medicine, and one box of the Wal-Mart brand NightTime Cold medicine...and they refused.  When I pointed out that my kid's cold is a 24 hour thing, she needs BOTH kinds, the lady told me I could buy the box with both kinds together.  The only problem was that the box had less of each, and cost about $7 more than the 2 boxes I had.   

I got mad and told her to keep them both, then went to Walgreens and bought 2 boxes of their cold medicine...and a bottle of cough syrup with no problem.  The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous. 

[Chris_]

I had a problem purchasing cold meds at Wal-Mart...and they weren't even the kind with pseudoephedrine!  I tried to buy one box of the Wal-Mart brand Daytime Cold medicine, and one box of the Wal-Mart brand NightTime Cold medicine...and they refused.  When I pointed out that my kid's cold is a 24 hour thing, she needs BOTH kinds, the lady told me I could buy the box with both kinds together.  The only problem was that the box had less of each, and cost about $7 more than the 2 boxes I had.   

I got mad and told her to keep them both, then went to Walgreens and bought 2 boxes of their cold medicine...and a bottle of cough syrup with no problem.  The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous. 

Haven't you been listening....WallyWorld is eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiiiiil....and the people working there aren't exacly the sharpest hammers on the tree either.

[AllosaursRus]

Haven't you been listening....WallyWorld is eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeviiiiiiiiiiiiil....and the people working there aren't exactly the sharpest hammers on the tree either.

Hey, hey, hey! My daughter is a pharm assist there, studying for her license to become a full fledged pharmy! Be careful how you lump everyone together when you don't know what you're talking about!

It works out real good for her while she goes to school. Not everyone that works at Wally world is a no account loser like you insinuate!

I know Lug, you're being sarcastic, but I needed to nail you just once! Otherwise, we just sound like parrots. lol!

[vesta111]

With all the news reports on the man that they said was building a bomb and the news told us what he bought to do so, who wonders why everyone is hyper sensitive.

You know about the EEE virus from birds right.  So we were painting a back room and the window was open with no screen. You realise that the fumes have to go somewhere so open window for 3 days.

Walked in and found a big I believe it was a crow dead as a door nail on the floor.

Shoveled it into garbage bag and headed out to Walmart and bought 4 big bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide.    Got home and poured all bottles on the floor and around the window the bird came in.    That stuff bubbled like crazy in a few small spots no reaction from the stuff other places.

Another time I bought 5 big boxes of baking soda as the grand kids and I were making home made Xmas decorations for the tree.

On sale I stock up, flour, sugar, rice and beans.  If I find a very good deal on nail polish remover, olive oil or contemplating remodeling a room if I find paint remover, I will also stock up.

If I find a sale on cold medicine or any other medication say for with flue season coming up in a few months, yes I will grab the sale item looking toward future use.

Now I realise that as there is no shortage of this stuff, I cannot be accused of hording in a time of need.    What I can be accused of is stock piling ingredients to make drugs or bombs.

Now, I can head for the sporting store and buy a reloading kit to make bullits and no problem with the amount of gun powder and what all. I can sit in the basement and churn out thousands of cheap projectiles that have no use but to kill something.

I can enroll in a self defence course and be taught to use numb chucks, all kinds of ways to kill that are illegal.

But, if I buy more then one bottle of cough syrup I can be hand cuffed and jailed.???



 

[jtyangel]

People should be careful to judge anyone behind the counter nowadays given the economic situation, not to mention the fact if we encourage hard work, as conservatives, to then demean jobs where people can put in a good day of hard work versus collecting a welfare check is kind of self-defeating to that end isn't it? I mean who wants to work a menial job if it's going to be looked down on all the time? Bottom line is the people  working in Walmart or anywhere else are WORKING! That's admirable considering some of those folks could take a lot less attitude and collect bennies sitting on their butt on a couch instead.

Plus, I know some pretty bright people in more physically laborious jobs. There's just no accounting for life circumstances that land someone in the position they are in at the time and work shouldn't be discouraged. Just a thought.

[MrsSmith]

With all the news reports on the man that they said was building a bomb and the news told us what he bought to do so, who wonders why everyone is hyper sensitive.

You know about the EEE virus from birds right.  So we were painting a back room and the window was open with no screen. You realise that the fumes have to go somewhere so open window for 3 days.

Walked in and found a big I believe it was a crow dead as a door nail on the floor.

Shoveled it into garbage bag and headed out to Walmart and bought 4 big bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide.    Got home and poured all bottles on the floor and around the window the bird came in.    That stuff bubbled like crazy in a few small spots no reaction from the stuff other places.

Another time I bought 5 big boxes of baking soda as the grand kids and I were making home made Xmas decorations for the tree.

On sale I stock up, flour, sugar, rice and beans.  If I find a very good deal on nail polish remover, olive oil or contemplating remodeling a room if I find paint remover, I will also stock up.

If I find a sale on cold medicine or any other medication say for with flue season coming up in a few months, yes I will grab the sale item looking toward future use.

Now I realise that as there is no shortage of this stuff, I cannot be accused of hording in a time of need.    What I can be accused of is stock piling ingredients to make drugs or bombs.

Now, I can head for the sporting store and buy a reloading kit to make bullits and no problem with the amount of gun powder and what all. I can sit in the basement and churn out thousands of cheap projectiles that have no use but to kill something.

I can enroll in a self defence course and be taught to use numb chucks, all kinds of ways to kill that are illegal.

But, if I buy more then one bottle of cough syrup I can be hand cuffed and jailed.???



 

Don't stock up on lots of Drano, either.  It's also used in Meth production.

[Gratiot]

Criminal, burn her at the stake!   

...or admit the law is flawed, sigh

[LC EFA]

With all the news reports on the man that they said was building a bomb and the news told us what he bought to do so, who wonders why everyone is hyper sensitive.

You know about the EEE virus from birds right.  So we were painting a back room and the window was open with no screen. You realise that the fumes have to go somewhere so open window for 3 days.

Walked in and found a big I believe it was a crow dead as a door nail on the floor.

Shoveled it into garbage bag and headed out to Walmart and bought 4 big bottles of Hydrogen Peroxide.   

...

Nice examples of component chemicals you used here. 
 

[vesta111]

Don't stock up on lots of Drano, either.  It's also used in Meth production.

Mrs Smith, are you telling me that Drano, that stuff I cannot use as I have a septic tank is used to make a drug anyone in their right mind would not go near.?

Ok, now that you have caused my brain to go back in time, anyone remember Homey Grits ?    I loved that stuff until I was told the corn was soaked in Lye then cleaned have not eaten that stuff in 40 years because of that, true or not.

Off topic as you have caused my mind to wander-----As a kid the summer camp had old fashioned out houses, made of pine and a one seater.     In a jog in the outhouse there was all ways a bag of I believe Lye with a scoop.  It was only when we moved our bowells that we dumped in one scoop------There was no smell in that outhouse but the pine

These cannot be just kids cooking this stuff, has to be mostly adults.   Why is it when the police catch an adult making this crap, the adults are not charged with attempted murder ?

I see no difference between a person letting off a bomb and killing 50 people all at once, then a person in the Meth trade taking 5 years to kill 500 or more,   Both are terrorists and both need to be looked at the same way.  Get the same penalty.

The Government needs to get off the pot thing and put all their money into taking out the adults that pray on our kids.

 People do not drop dead from a joint, they do die for the human interfearnce----Poppys with interference= deadly drugs.
Coco plant with interference is Cocaine.

Then the back yard sheds and storage buildings that put a pot on a stove and cook up a Witches Stew that the Cook knows will cause death and distruction.

Now to make your hair stand on end, I received information last night from a woman that was worried about her son.

He had a job at a hospital in VA as a LPN.  Wasn't long before he learned the drug line and who was in charge of it.  He learned that the Doctors and RNS had a way to cover missing drugs, All the way to the top the administration would cover the missing drug's Publicity, keep this under your hat.

My friend has the Mothers Third Eye to know her son is in big trouble.

So, Gee with the MICK J thing about private doctors and all, think about what goes on at say Boston General.

[debk]

Not only is Drano used in making meth....so is bleach and the "burn" heads off of matches, which is why it is difficult to buy matches in the stores. Hello? candles need to be lit! I buy candle lighters now.

I went to a continuing ed class, to maintain my real estate license, on meth. It is quite prevalent in my area, and we have to be aware of what to look for in a house that we may list or sell.

The class (4 hours) was fascinating. A Montana DEA agent taught it. He had all kinds of slides.....showing meth labs, how to make it, what it does to a dwelling.....what it does to the human body!

Why anyone would ever want to put that crap into their system I will never understand.

Do you know why so many women - your basic normal everyday housewife type woman - get hooked on it?

They start out making it for themselves and their friends ...... TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!!!

They are too stupid to realize that meth is highly addictive...worse than any other drug with maybe the exception of oxycontin. They are hooked on it quite quickly and chances of getting off of it before it does extensive damage to the body, are slim.....no pun intended.

[vesta111]

Not only is Drano used in making meth....so is bleach and the "burn" heads off of matches, which is why it is difficult to buy matches in the stores. Hello? candles need to be lit! I buy candle lighters now.

I went to a continuing ed class, to maintain my real estate license, on meth. It is quite prevalent in my area, and we have to be aware of what to look for in a house that we may list or sell.

The class (4 hours) was fascinating. A Montana DEA agent taught it. He had all kinds of slides.....showing meth labs, how to make it, what it does to a dwelling.....what it does to the human body!

Why anyone would ever want to put that crap into their system I will never understand.

Do you know why so many women - your basic normal everyday housewife type woman - get hooked on it?

They start out making it for themselves and their friends ...... TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!!!

They are too stupid to realize that meth is highly addictive...worse than any other drug with maybe the exception of oxycontin. They are hooked on it quite quickly and chances of getting off of it before it does extensive damage to the body, are slim.....no pun intended.

Geeeeez Deb, bleach, Drano, nail polish remover, burnt matches [ for the sulphur?] I cannot imagine how people don't blow up the neighborhood cooking that mixture.

I do know that new laws are in place in some states that require a Realtor to inform customers if the property including out buildings were used to make Meth. Something about the fumes getting into the walls and causing the buyer to have to replace them at huge cost.

I wonder who it was that thought up that recipe from Hell, sure wasn't some highschool kid, too much chemistry with all those strange ingredients.

I know about the horrid scabs users get, and the weight loss but if you could please let us in on tips and things to look for if any of us need to move to an apartment or buy a used house.
  In one town up here the Realtors and land lords go nuts on the police and newspapers when one of their tenants is arrested for making meth and the address is printed.  They often have a vacant apartment or house for months until everyone forgets about the history of the place as no one wants to move there.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Yup, just another law designed to protect us all.    No provision that allows charges to be dropped upon further investigation.  Idiots.

There doesn't need to be any such provision, because the prosecutor had that power all along but for some reason chose to be a dick about it.  Prosecutors have a basically unbounded discretion about whether to take charges to court or dismiss them (Except in the military justice system, where the convening authority has that discretion).