NACDS aims to head off tighter DEA regs

Drug Store News, April 7, 1997

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- In a bid to prevent the abuse of OTC product ingredients and head off potentially burdensome new record-keeping requirements, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has issued a new set of employee education aids for its members. The educational toolkit, developed in alliance with other retail groups and the Partnership for a Drug Free America, is designed to help drug chains and their employees understand and comply with the Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996.

In an industry letter dated March 14, NACDS warned chain pharmacy executives that "the Drug Enforcement Administration is closely monitoring retail sales of OTC medicines that contain pseudophedrine, phenypropanolamine and ephedrine to determine if retail sales are a source of supply for the illegal production of methamphetamine--otherwise known as `speed.' According to the Methamphetamine Control Act of 1996, if the DEA finds significant retail diversion has occurred, it will have the authority to impose additional record-keeping requirements as early as October 1997 that could significantly limit the legitimate sale of these products."

The materials prepared by NACDS and other groups were designed in part to "help avoid future regulatory action by the DEA," according to an organization spokesperson. Among the items mailed to chain members were paper and computer disk versions of the following:

* A summary of the methamphetamine problem and why retailers should be concerned;

* Educational materials, for store managers and store and distribution center employees, that outline in Q&A form how to comply with the new law;

* A suggested letter from chain headquarters to regional and store managers. The letter outlines the issue and the need to educate store clerks on how to help prevent diversion of OTCs by monitoring suspicious consumer behavior.