NADDI cracks down on methamphetamine with new initiative

LOUISVILLE, Ky. The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators on Friday announced a new initiative in the war on methamphetamine: the National Precursor Log Exchange, a multistate electronic tracking program that enforces purchase limitations of the decongestant pseudoephedrine in real time at the point of sale.

NADDI, along with Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, introduced the program here during an early-morning press conference. Joining Kentucky in adopting NPLEx were Illinois and Louisiana.

“Rarely are states able to easily work together to tackle a problem that crosses state lines,” stated Charlie Cichon, director of NADDI. “We believe dozens of states will adopt NPLEx over the next several years, making it more difficult for these common medicines to be used illegally.”

The NPLEx system is being offered as an alternative to introducing legislation requiring a prescription for the sale of PSE. “If states are wanting to make this a prescription drug, we are coming in and saying, ‘Here is a tool [being offered to] law enforcement at no cost.'”

The program is being entirely funded by cough-cold manufacturers and accordingly will be offered to states with critical meth lab problems nationwide at no cost.

“CHPA recognizes that home meth labs are dangerous and toxic for communities, as well as a burden for law enforcement, and is pleased to lend its support to aggressive measures to stop domestic meth production,” the association stated Friday morning. “We believe that electronic tracking is the only solution that allows for real-time, stop sale of these medicines illegally diverted to manufacture meth while maintaining consumer access to safe and effective cold and allergy medicines.”

The technology for NPLEx is based on a system that was developed and tested in Kentucky in 2005, and the program was expanded statewide in Kentucky in late 2007.

NPLEx provides law enforcement agencies across the country with free access to the multi-state electronic log of cold and allergy medicine purchases. The system helps retailers stay in compliance with state and federal laws that place restrictions on these medicines.