Idaho's adoption of NPLEx to block illegal methamphetamine sales receives praise

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today applauded Idaho Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter for signing into law real-time, stop-sale technology called the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) which allows check-out clerks to block illegal pseudoephedrine purchases right at the point of sale and provides law enforcement with valuable criminal data up to the minute. The legislation--Senate Bill 1309--was sponsored by Senator Joyce M. Broadsword (R- District 2).

NPLEx is a proven tool in the fight against methamphetamine production that has blocked tens of thousands of illegal sales across the country. The system targets meth criminals while protecting law-abiding consumers' access to safe and effective medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE), such as Advil Cold & Sinus, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Mucinex D, and Sudafed.  NPLEx provides a secure, interconnected electronic logbook that tracks and logs every PSE sale in every store at the precise moment it is happening. When a purchase is made, the logbook advises retailers when to refuse a sale based on an individual's purchase record elsewhere in the state and beyond its borders.  The system also provides law enforcement officials with a new and effective tool in the fight against meth, and it is the only system that can block the illegal sale in real-time and across state lines.

"Idaho has taken an important step in the battle against methamphetamine by adopting a proven system that provides law enforcement with an invaluable tool to track criminal activity and bring meth dealers and producers to justice," said Scott M. Melville, president and chief executive officer of CHPA. "In addition to aiding police officers, NPLEx allows retailers to block unlawful pseudoephedrine purchases right at the sales counter, and just as importantly, it protects law-abiding consumers' access to the cold and allergy medicines they depend on for relief. Senator Broadsword, Governor Otter and the entire Idaho Legislature are to be commended for choosing a responsible and effective approach to fighting meth-related crime."