State Senator Mae Beavers Joins Local Leaders, Retailers, Pharmacists To Launch Anti-Smurfing Public Awareness Campaign
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- State Senator Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, joined representatives from the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), and other state leaders to announce the launch of Tennessee's statewide Anti-Smurfing Campaign in Nashville. The voluntary educational campaign aims to increase public awareness about the criminal enterprise known as "smurfing" — the practice of purchasing cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) to sell to methamphetamine cooks.
The Anti-Smurfing Campaign informs consumers through signage displayed at the point of sale that smurfing is a serious criminal offense and an integral part of the methamphetamine- production process. As a result, the simple act of buying certain cold or allergy products for a stranger can fuel Tennessee's methamphetamine problem.
"Anyone in Tennessee's law enforcement community will tell you that smurfing remains one of the biggest challenges in the battle against methamphetamine production and abuse," said state Senator Mae Beavers. "The launch of Tennessee's Anti-Smurfing Campaign proves that state leaders are willing to join forces with the manufacturers of over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines to remind all Tennesseans that purchasing these items for a meth cook is a felony and will lead to jail time."
"One crucial step toward eliminating Tennessee's meth cooks and dealers is public education," Beavers said. "The Anti-Smurfing Campaign is intended to do just that. I am confident it will make criminals think twice before making any unlawful pseudoephedrine purchases."
The public-private partnership was developed by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), a national association representing the makers of over-the-counter medicines, and is carried out by Tennessee retailers on a voluntary basis. CHPA tested anti-smurfing posters to ensure that they communicate impactful messaging without deterring legitimate consumers.
The Tennessee Pharmacists Association has already begun distributing Anti-Smurfing signage to retailers across the state. For more information on the campaign, please visit Meth-KnowTheConsequences.Org.
SOURCE State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet)
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