WASHINGTON —The Consumer Healthcare Products Association in June commended the California Senate Public Safety Committee for passing AB 1455. The legislation calls for the implementation of a statewide, industry-funded electronic tracking system to monitor and block illegal purchases of over-the-counter cold-and-allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient that can be diverted to make methamphetamine.

California had been a state considering the reclassification of PSE as a prescription-only medicine in response to the rise in methamphetamine abuse over the last few years, so implementation of the e-tracking system to address those concerns adds an additional checkmark in the industry’s win column.

“We applaud the Public Safety Committee for supporting a solution that will fight domestic methamphetamine production while maintaining consumer access to important cold-and-allergy medications,” stated Linda Suydam, CHPA president. “E-tracking is the only solution that will stop illegal sales of pseudoephedrine by providing a real-time, stop-sale function across all stores statewide.”

So far, e-tracking has been adopted by 10 states nationwide, eight of which have adopted the e-tracking system being funded by CHPA member companies.