Sale of ephedrine products limited

Pharmacies across Beijing yesterday began limiting the sale of products that contain ephedrine, following the introduction of a new regulation from the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA).

Ephedrine is a common ingredient of cold remedies but can also be used to make the methamphetamine "ice".

While dozens of popular cold, cough and asthma medicines, including Contac NT and Baijiahei, contain the stimulant, consumers are allowed to buy no more than five packets at a time of any drug that contains it, the SFDA said.