Rep. David Derby Releases New Data From Pseudoephedrine Monitoring System
3.24.16– Capital Beat OK
Oklahoma City – State Representative David Derby, R-Owasso, this week released the 2015 data from the state’s real time, stop-sale pseudoephedrine (PSE) monitoring system, known as the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx).
NPLEx is a tool that allows retailers to block the sale of cold and allergy medicine containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) to known meth offenders as well as consumers who reach their legally allowed monthly or yearly purchase limit, which helps to prevent it from getting into the hands of criminals who try to use the medicine to make methamphetamine. This law enforcement tool also provides police with information to detect suspicious purchase patterns and identify, prosecute and convict suspected meth makers.
A House staff press release sent to CapitolBeatOK and other news organizations stated that Oklahoma and 31 other states have adopted NPLEx as a way to ensure that law-abiding citizens have access to these vital medicines, while automatically blocking unlawful (PSE) purchase attempts at the point of sale.
In 2015, the NPLEx system in Oklahoma helped block the sale of 49,721 boxes of PSE, keeping 125,192 grams of PSE from potentially being used illegally.
In Oklahoma, the system is coupled with a meth offender block list that bans convicted meth offenders from purchasing PSE medicines. As a result, the state has seen an 88 percent decline in meth lab seizures since 2011.
“NPLEx ensures Oklahomans have access to the cold and allergy medicine they rely on while blocking the sale of PSE medicine to real criminals,” said Rep. Derby. “Since the introduction of NPLEx and the sales ban for meth offenders, our state has seen a dramatic reduction in meth lab incidents. This shows real progress but the meth problem in our state has now shifted from local meth production to abuse of imported methamphetamine from Mexico. By reducing meth labs our local law enforcement can now devote precious resources to stop imported meth from crossing our borders.”
Read more here.