1.
What is
methamphetamine?
2.
How is
methamphetamine
produced?
3.
What is the
connection
between
methamphetamine
and
over-the-counter
(OTC) medicines?
4.
What are the
legitimate OTC
uses for pseudoephedrine
and ephedrine?
5.
Are cold
medicines the
only products
diverted for the
manufacture of
methamphetamine?
6.
What is CHPA
doing to address
the
methamphetamine
problem?
7.
What is the Meth Health
Education
Campaign?
8.
What is Meth
Watch?
9.
What is CHPA’s position
on the Combat
Meth Act, a
federal
initiative which
restricts the
sales and
placement of
over-the-counter
medicines
containing
pseudoephedrine?
10.
What is CHPA's position
on placing
medicines
containing
pseudoephedrine
on prescription
status?
1. What is
methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine
is a synthetic
drug sold as
pills, capsules,
or powder and
can be smoked,
snorted,
injected, or
swallowed. Also
known as “meth,”
“speed,”
“crank,” or
“ice,” meth is
an illegal and
highly addictive
drug that
affects the
central nervous
system.
Ingestion of
methamphetamine
increases heart
rate, blood
pressure, body
temperature, and
rate of
breathing;
dilates the
pupils; and
produces
euphoria,
increased
alertness, a
sense of
increased
energy, and
tremors.
High doses or
chronic use have
been associated
with increased
nervousness,
irritability,
and paranoia,
which in turn
lead to
hyperactive
behavior and
dramatic mood
swings. Heavy
users often
exhibit extreme
belligerence and
paranoia.
Withdrawal from
high doses often
results in
severe
depression.
Adverse
consequences of
abuse include
the risk of
stroke,
convulsions,
dangerously high
body
temperature, and
cardiac
arrhythmia.
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2. How is
methamphetamine
produced?
Production of
methamphetamine
has changed
significantly
over the past 10
years.
Primarily, meth
has been
imported into
the United
States as a
finished drug
from Mexico.
More recently,
officials have
traced
importation from
other countries
as well,
including
Canada, China,
and India.
Methamphetamine
also is
manufactured
illegally in the
United States.
Of the total
amount of
methamphetamine
produced in the
United States, a
majority is
produced in a
small number of
“super labs,”
laboratories
capable of
producing in
excess of 10
pounds of
methamphetamine
in one 24-hour
production
cycle.
The U.S. Drug
Enforcement
Administration (DEA)
estimates a
majority –
between 75-65
percent – of the
meth produced in
this country is
made in U.S.
based super labs
or smuggled in
as finished
product from
Mexico. The
remainder of the
meth produced in
the United
States is made
in small,
clandestine
labs. These labs
often yield only
enough for the
meth cook’s own
personal use.
As a result of
anti-meth laws
at the state and
federal level,
the number of
small toxic labs
have
dramatically
decreased.
However,
according to the
DEA, the
Administration
now notes a rise
in major
methamphetamine
trafficking from
Mexican-based
drug
organizations.
The DEA tracks
the number of
meth lab
seizures
nationwide.
http://www.dea.gov/concern/map_lab_seizures.html
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3. What is the
connection
between
methamphetamine
and
over-the-counter
(OTC) medicines?
Pseudoephedrine
or ephedrine is
a necessary
ingredient, or
“precursor,” in
the manufacture
of
methamphetamine.
Pseudoephedrine
and ephedrine
are the active
ingredients in
legitimate
brand-name and
store-brand OTC
cough/cold and
asthma
medicines. These
safe and
effective
medicines are
approved by the
U.S. Food and
Drug
Administration
for
over-the-counter
use by American
consumers.
Unfortunately,
there are
illegitimate
producers making
products using
these
ingredients.
These
illegitimate
producers are
not members of
CHPA and often
sell their
products at
nontraditional
outlets. They
sell their
products in
large
quantities—far
larger than
could be
reasonably used
by the average
consumer—and
most likely are
not packaged in
federally
mandated blister
packs. CHPA does
not support the
sale of these
products and
proposes stiff
penalties for
their
manufacture.
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4. What are the
legitimate OTC
uses for
pseudoephedrine
and ephedrine?
Pseudoephedrine
is an
FDA-approved OTC
nasal
decongestant and
is sold as
either a
single-ingredient
product or in
combination
cough/cold
products.
Ephedrine is an
FDA-approved OTC
bronchodilator
for those
suffering from
asthma and is
typically sold
in combination
with the
ingredient
guaifenesin.
A large majority
of
over-the-counter
decongestants
used by millions
of consumers
every day for
effective relief
from the
symptoms caused
by colds,
allergies, and
asthma contain
pseudoephedrine
or ephedrine as
their active
ingredient. Both
ingredients are
recognized by
the U.S. Food
and Drug
Administration
(FDA) as safe
and effective
medicines.
These medicines
serve an
important
healthcare need
by bringing much
needed relief to
consumers
conveniently and
affordably. Each
year, an
estimated one
billion
Americans suffer
from colds,
according to the
latest data from
the National
Institutes of
Health. This
translates into
38 million
missed school
days and more
than 29 million
lost workdays
each year.
Further, a
recent study by
Northwestern
University found
that the use of
over-the-counter
medications to
relieve symptoms
of upper
respiratory
infections can
save the U.S.
healthcare
system and
economy almost
five billion
dollars.
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5. Are cold
medicines the
only products
diverted for the
manufacture of
methamphetamine?
Small
clandestine meth
labs use a
variety of
common, widely
available
household
products to
manufacture meth,
including:
acetone, rubbing
and isopropyl
alcohol, iodine,
starter fluid
(ether), gas
additives
(methanol),
drain cleaner
(sulfuric acid),
lithium
batteries, rock
salt, matchbooks
(red
phosphorus),
lye, paint
thinner,
aluminum foil,
glassware,
coffee filters,
and propane
tanks.
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6. What is CHPA
doing to address
the
methamphetamine
problem?
The Consumer
Healthcare
Products
Association
(CHPA) is deeply
concerned that
safe and
effective
medicines
manufactured by
its member
companies and
purchased by
millions of
legitimate
consumers to
treat symptoms
of colds,
allergies, and
asthma are being
diverted to
manufacture
methamphetamine
in small
clandestine
labs. DEA
officials state
that the
majority of
methamphetamine
in the United
States is either
imported into
this country as
a finished drug
or is produced
in large super
labs using bulk
pseudoephedrine.
While
clandestine labs
produce
relatively small
amounts of meth,
they create
hazardous
problems for
local law
enforcement,
communities,
children, and
the environment.
CHPA feels
strongly that
the most
effective way to
significantly
address
methamphetamine
production and
abuse is through
a multi-faceted
approach that
includes retail
sales limits,
placement
restrictions,
strong law
enforcement,
treatment, and
demand-reduction
initiatives that
promote
cooperation
within
communities to
stem the
production of
meth locally and
reduce abuse
broadly. CHPA
was pleased to
support the
federal Combat
Methamphetamine
Act—a
legislative
initiative which
went into full
effect September
2006 and
implements
retail sales
limits and
product
placement
restrictions for
all medicines
containing
pseudoephedrine.
Moreover, CHPA
has taken a
comprehensive
approach towards
meth production
and abuse on
multiple levels.
Specifically,
CHPA:
- Supports a
national
strategy to
prevent the
diversion of pseudoephedrine,
including the
federal
initiative to
address
methamphetamine
abuse by moving
medicines
containing pseudoephedrine
behind the
counter;
implementing
retail sales
limits of these
medicines;
requiring
customers to
show
identification;
and requiring
retailers to
maintain a
recordkeeping
logbook of
sales.
- Has
established a
national Meth
Watch program (www.MethWatch.com)
to curtail sales
and theft of
pseudoephedrine
and ephedrine
products for
illegal purposes
and to promote
cooperation
between
retailers and
law enforcement.
- Sponsored
regional
programs by the
Partnership for
a Drug-Free
America and the
American Academy
of Pediatrics to
prevent
adolescent use
of meth and club
drugs through
education and
outreach to
teens and
parents about
the health risks
associated with
methamphetamine
abuse.
- Works with a
coalition of
national
organizations
representing
manufacturers,
distributors,
and retailers to
work
collectively
against the
illegal
diversion of
methamphetamine
precursor
ingredients.
CHPA has
supported the
enactment and
implementation
of anti-meth
legislation
since the 1980s,
beginning with
the Chemical
Diversion and
Trafficking Act
of 1988. CHPA
also supported
the
Comprehensive
Methamphetamine
Control Act of
1996 (CMCA) and
subsequent
federal
legislation, and
worked with U.S.
Drug Enforcement
Agency to help
define
"suspicious
orders" that
could tip off
retailers and
their employees
to an attempt to
divert
legitimate OTC
medicines to
illicit uses.
CHPA has worked
with the Office
of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP)
in the effort to
combat
methamphetamine
use. The ONDCP
funds the
national
anti-methamphetamine
education
campaign,
including paid
advertising.
CHPA has made
presentations at
ONDCP and DEA
conferences on
diversion
prevention, and
has lobbied
Congress to
increase funding
for ONDCP
anti-drug
programs, law
enforcement
efforts, demand
reduction, and
prevention.
In addition,
CHPA has
provided funding
for a growing
health education
campaign against
methamphetamine
abuse
implemented by
the Partnership
for a Drug-Free
America and the
American Academy
of Pediatrics.
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7. What is the
Meth Health
Education
Campaign?
The Partnership
for a Drug-Free
America, in
conjunction with
the American
Academy of
Pediatrics and
CHPA, has
developed media
campaign
template aimed
at reducing
substance abuse
among
adolescents by
speaking about
health
consequences to
both teens and
parents. The
pilot campaign
was launched in
St. Louis,
Missouri, and
Phoenix,
Arizona, in June
2003.
The program’s
goal is to help
reduce meth and
club drug use
among youth by
encouraging
anti-drug
attitudes and
increasing
parent-youth
dialogue. The
campaign
combines public
service
advertising and
print education
messages with a
public relations
effort that
involves
specially-trained
local
pediatricians
reaching out to
parents and
teens in the St.
Louis and
Phoenix areas.
Research results
from the
two-year pilot
program show a
significant
impact on
parents’ and
teens’ attitudes
about
methamphetamine
as a health
risk. CHPA
expanded this
program in
Tennessee where
doctors across
the state
received media
training on the
effective ways
to communicate
to parents the
dangers
associated with
methamphetamine
abuse. In
collaboration
with the
Partnership for
a Drug-Free
America, the
U.S. Drug
Enforcement
Agency currently
utilizes this
successful
model, applying
learning from
this campaign
towards
establishing
similar programs
in other areas
of the country.
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8. What is Meth
Watch?
Meth Watch is a
public-private
partnership
between
retailers and
law enforcement
to stop the
diversion of
legitimate
products
containing
pseudoephedrine
to the illegal
manufacture of
methamphetamine.
Meth Watch was
started in
Kansas by the
Kansas
Department of
Health and
Environment, the
Kansas Bureau of
Investigation,
the Kansas
Methamphetamine
Prevention
Project, and
Kansas
retailers.
Encouraged by
its success,
CHPA, in
cooperation with
Kansas, launched
a national
effort to help
states affected
by the meth
problem adopt
Meth Watch as
part of the
solution. As
part of this
program, CHPA
and its member
companies
provided direct
funding and
resources to
states
interested in
implementing
Meth Watch
programs in
their
communities.
CHPA launched
www.MethWatch.com
to serve as a
national
resource center
for the program
and is providing
training,
technical
assistance, and
retail support
to those states
participating in
the voluntary
program. To
date, CHPA has
provided seed
money to 16
states
interested in
implementing the
Meth Watch
program. States
that currently
have a Meth
Watch program or
are forming one
include Kansas,
Washington,
Oregon, Iowa,
Tennessee,
Montana,
Virginia, North
Carolina,
Georgia,
Michigan,
Minnesota, South
Carolina, Texas,
New Mexico,
Mississippi,
Wyoming, and
Pennsylvania.
For more
information
about CHPA’s
Meth Watch
program, visit
www.MethWatch.com.
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9. What is
CHPA’s position
on the Combat
Meth Act, a
federal
initiative which
restricts the
sales and
placement of
over-the-counter
medicines
containing
pseudoephedrine?
CHPA is pleased
to lend its
support to
The
Combat Meth Act,
a federal
initiative aimed
at addressing
the
methamphetamine
problem in this
country. This
legislation,
signed into law
March 2006,
includes sales
and product
placement
restrictions on
OTC medicines
containing pseudoephedrine
(PSE) to prevent
the diversion of
PSE to
methamphetamine.
The Combat Meth
Act became fully
effective
September 30,
2006.
Recognizing that
sales and
product
placement
restrictions
alone will not
stop the meth
problem, CHPA
supports tough,
comprehensive
measures to
attack this
problem at every
level of its
manufacture and
use, and feels
that efforts to
restrict
precursors
combined with
substantial
funding to
states to fight
meth use and
trafficking will
make a dramatic
impact in the
manufacture of
methamphetamine
in the United
States. In
addition to the
sales and
placement
restrictions,
CHPA was pleased
that The Combat
Meth Act
included $99
million each
year for five
years beginning
in 2006 for
state and local
grants to fight
meth use and
trafficking. An
additional $70
million is
included for
drug court
funding, as well
as a $20 million
appropriation
for drug
endangered
children grant
programs.
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10. What is
CHPA's position
on placing
medicines
containing
pseudoephedrine
on prescription
status?
CHPA favors
retail sales and
placement
restrictions on
pseudoephedrine
containing
medicines rather
than requiring a
doctor's visit
and prescription
for those
consumers who
use these
medicines.
States with
sales
restrictions in
place are
already seeing a
significant
impact in the
reduction of
meth labs
without placing
an added burden
on consumers.
While
restricting
consumer access
to
pseudoephedrine
has been shown
to reduce the
number of small
meth labs in
states with
these
restrictions, it
has not been
shown to reduce
meth usage at
all. There
continues to be
an increase in
meth coming into
the U.S. through
Mexico and other
countries. Any
approach to
reducing
methamphetamine
abuse must
address the
totality of the
meth supply and
include funding
for
demand-reduction,
education, and
treatment
programs.
Updated January
2007
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