House of Representatives expected to pass Dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2009

WASHINGTON The House of Representatives Monday evening was scheduled to vote on the Dextromethorphan Distribution Act of 2009, a bill introduced March 3 by Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., and Rick Larsen, D-Wash., to restrict the distribution, possession and sale of unfinished bulk dextromethorphan to those entities vetted and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The bill is expected to significantly curtail the abuse of DXM, a common cough medicine ingredient, and is widely supported by the industry, including both the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

“When used in legitimate health care products and taken correctly, dextromethorphan is a highly-effective cough suppressant with very few side effects and a decades-long track record of safety,” stated NACDS president and CEO Steven Anderson in a statement released Monday in anticipation of the bill’s passage. “There is no need for the typical consumer to have access to unfinished bulk dextromethorphan. This bill will go a long way to help ensure that the only entities that can access unfinished bulk dextromethorphan are those with a legitimate need.”

CHPA president Linda Suydam noted earlier this month its support of keeping the raw, unfinished form of dextromethorphan out of teenagers hands.

“Only manufacturers, pharmacists and researchers have a legitimate need for access to this ingredient in its unfinished form, and we offer our complete support to this federal measure. We believe that it will help protect America’s youth from unscrupulous online pushers who knowingly provide kids with the raw form of this ingredient as a means to get high,” Suydam stated.

This is the third time the Dextromethorphan Distribution Act has been introduced in the U.S. Congress. It passed the U.S. House of Representatives twice, but failed to move forward before the close of both the 109th and 110th Congresses.  “We fervently hope that the third time’s the charm for this important measure to get passed into law and start protecting our nation’s children,” Suydam said.