CHPA Applauds Governor Mike Pence and the Passage of SB 496

Legislation Penalizes Criminals, Not Honest Hoosiers

News provided by

Consumer Healthcare Products Association

May 08, 2013, 12:41 ET

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) released the following statement a day after Governor Mike Pence signed into law Senate Bill 496 -- legislation authored by Senator Carlin Yoder (R-12) -- that takes a number of steps to tighten the state's existing meth laws.

"We commend Senator Yoder, Governor Pence, and the entire General Assembly for passing one of the strongest anti-meth bills in the nation," said Carlos Gutierrez, senior director of state government affairs for CHPA. "While we recognize that this annual limit may impact a small minority of responsible consumers who suffer from severe allergies, it makes it more difficult for meth cooks to skirt the law while preserving access to these medicines for the large majority of Hoosier families."

Specifically, the legislation:

Makes it a felony for an individual to engage in "smurfing" -- the criminal process of buying PSE-based products and selling them to a meth cook or dealer;
Requires all sales of pseudoephedrine -- including convenience-size packages -- to be registered via the NPLEx system;
Prevents prior methamphetamine offenders from being able to purchase PSE-containing medicines for seven years; and
Implements a 29% reduction in the amount a person can buy to 61.2 grams per year.

"There is no question that Indiana, like many other parts of the country, continues to face an uphill battle against meth production and abuse," Gutierrez continued. "But I am confident that with strengthened legislation like Sen. Yoder's bill we will make real progress against meth criminals."

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