OHP trooper's widow sues cold medicine manufacturers, retailers

WALTERS, Okla. (AP) -- The widow of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper sues the makers and retailers of the drug pseudoephedrine.<br/><br/>Linda Green claims in the Cotton County lawsuit that drug companies

Wednesday, December 28th 2005, 6:12 am

By: News On 6

WALTERS, Okla. (AP) -- The widow of an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper sues the makers and retailers of the drug pseudoephedrine.

Linda Green claims in the Cotton County lawsuit that drug companies and suppliers -- including Pfizer, Wal-Mart, Walgreen, Dollar General and United Supermarkets -- knew methamphetamine addicts were buying the drug to get high and not to treat a cold.

Green also alleges that makers knew how to make the pseudoephedrine tablets without allowing drug addicts to extract the ingredients needed to make meth.

The suit also names Ricky Ray Malone, who was convicted of murdering Green's husband, Nikky Joe Green. Malone was high on meth when he fatally shot Nik Green in December 2003.

A spokesman for Walgreen said the company doesn't comment on pending litigation, and a message to Pfizer wasn't returned.

Wal-Mart spokesman Dan Fogleman says the company implemented a voluntary sales limitation policy in February 1997 of over-the-counter cold products.