The Consumer Healthcare Products Association backs Sen. Joe Biden's proposal to set a nationwide age limit on purchases of dextromethorphan-containing OTC drugs, but the group differs with the bill's approach to regulating bulk sales of raw DXM.

"The Dextromethorphan Abuse Reduction Act of 2007," S. 2274, would prohibit sales to consumers younger than 18 years old and ban unregulated sales of bulk DXM by scheduling the ingredient under the Controlled Substance Act.

CHPA commends Biden but notes there are "technical differences in how to address the illegal distribution of bulk DXM." However, "while we think that scheduling raw dextromethorphan may prove to be an unnecessarily costly way to curb illicit sales, as opposed to simply making such sales illegal, our ultimate goal has always been and continues to be to effectively reduce the abuse of dextromethorphan among teens," the group says.

The bill also authorizes funding for prevention and educational programs to combat OTC and prescription drug abuse. "This legislation will attack this problem from all sides - education, enforcement and restricted access - and is the right move to protect our kids," the Delaware Democrat, who is a candidate for the party's nomination for president, says in a release.

Biden notes several retail chains have voluntarily applied age restrictions on DXM OTC purchases. In addition to CHPA, bill supporters include the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the Food Marketing Institute, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the Community Anti-Drug Coalition of America.

CHPA and NACDS support a nationwide age limit on DXM sales, rather than isolated state or local regulations (¹ Also see "First DXM Age Law Passes While Voluntary Restrictions Increase" - Pink Sheet, 21 May, 2007., p. 4).

A bill approved by the House, H.R. 970, bans unregulated bulk DXM sales. Similar legislation was passed in the House in 2006 but was not taken up by the Senate before the 109th Congress came to an end (² Also see "House DXM Bill Sponsor Expects Senate To Approve Measure This Year" - Pink Sheet, 1 October, 2007., p. 5).

- Katie Stevenson (k.stevenson@elsevier.com)

Biden DXM Bill Includes Age Limit, Bulk Ingredient Scheduling

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