By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, Oct 9 NZPA - People tempted to get around a ban on over the counter sales of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine by shopping on line could find themselves in trouble with the law.

Police say people face sentences of up to 14 years' jail under changes the Government announced yesterday to make pseudoephedrine, a main ingredient in many cold and flu medication, a Class B2 prescription-only drug.

People would now have to go to their doctor for a prescription before they could purchase it.

Medsafe has been asked to consider if a total ban on pseudoephedrine, used to make the illegal drug "P", pure methamphetamine, should go ahead.

There are alternative medications containing Phenylephrine which could not be used as a precursor for P estimated to be effective for about 80 percent of people.

Police Detective Sergeant Paul Tricklebank, who works in the national drug intelligence bureau, said people could find themselves in court for buying it online.

"It would be dangerous to start importing it for use as a cold remedy because once you start importing scheduled drugs you are breaking the law. The bottom line is you are breaking the law no matter what your intent to use it for was."

Under present law importing sizable quantities of pseudoephedrine can result in an eight-year jail sentence.

"If they schedule it up to Class B2 ... it becomes even more serious with 14 years' imprisonment.

"There is legislation around importing drugs and pseudoephedrine is a scheduled drug already."

Customs were vigilant at mail centres and dogs were used to scan mail.

"The chances of getting caught are quite high ... There would be some sort of inquiry by enforcement agencies as to why they are importing pseudoephedrine."

There has been strong criticism of the partial ban with claims it unfairly penalises law abiding citizens but MethCon Group director Mike Sabin today defended it saying it was "a necessary and important move".

He also welcomed enhanced police and Customs powers.

However, he was critical of a harm minimisation approach. He said a coercive approach to treatment and drug treatment courts would deliver better results.