CHPA Lauds Vermont's Adoption of HB 522

WASHINGTON, June 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today applauded the Vermont legislature and Governor Peter Shumlin (D) for their passage of House Bill 522, a bill that offers a solution to reducing the domestic production of methamphetamine through reasonable and balanced approaches.  The new law makes Vermont the 27th state to adopt the pseudoephedrine (PSE) tracking system known as the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx).

NPLEx is a proven tool that allows retailers to block any unlawful purchases of cold or allergy medicines containing PSE.  Much like a credit card transaction, retailers enter the information of anyone attempting to purchase this medicine into the NPLEx database by swiping their state-provided identification at the point of sale.  The database then immediately informs the retailer whether the purchase exceeds the legal purchase limits for PSE established by the Combat Methamphetamine Act of 2005.  While the vast majority of consumers purchase PSE legally, some criminals will attempt to illegally obtain large quantities of the drug in order to manufacture methamphetamine.  NPLEx empowers retailers to block these illegal purchases at the counter, before they can happen, giving communities and law enforcement a new tool in preventing the illegal diversion of these medications.

Prior to the establishment of NPLEx, retailers were required to log PSE purchases in handwritten log-books that police would spend hours combing through for any suspicious activity.  With the implementation of NPLEx, police now have instant access to any PSE purchasing activity directly from their police cruiser, eliminating hours of cumbersome investigative work.  Since its inception, NPLEx has blocked hundreds of thousands of sales across the country, and led to scores of arrests, convictions and meth busts.

"With Governor Peter Shumlin's signature on House Bill 522, Vermont joins the network of 26 other states already utilizing illegal sales blocking technology," said Carlos Gutierrez, senior director of state government affairs for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.  "NPLEx technology represents an effective and balanced solution to illegal methamphetamine production in Vermont--one that punishes criminals while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens who rely on cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine.  We commend the Vermont Legislature and Governor Shumlin for pursuing a common sense policy that targets criminals without burdening honest Vermonters."

CHPA is the 132-year-old trade association representing U.S. manufacturers and distributors of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements.

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SOURCE Consumer Healthcare Products Association