HB363 Alabama 2012 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Blaine Galliher

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2012

Title

Methamphetamines, further regulation of the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products, licensed pharmacies solely authorized to sell, criminal penalties enhanced, membership of Alabama Drug Abuse Task Force revised, Alabama Criminal Justice Information Center to create an electronic drug offender tracking system, Secs. 13A-12-260, 20-2-190 am'd; Sec. 20-2-190.2 added

Summary

HB363 tightens regulation of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine sales, creates electronic drug offender and sales tracking systems, and expands penalties and task-force duties to curb meth production in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

HB363 tightens control of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine sales by limiting purchases to licensed pharmacies, requiring trained staff, behind-counter storage or locked displays, blister packaging for higher-dose tablets, age and ID checks, and electronic tracking with stop-sale alerts. It also creates a real-time drug offender tracking system to catalog drug-related convictions and link with sales data so buyers with certain convictions can be blocked from purchases for 7–10 years, with oversight and alert mechanisms shared with law enforcement and NADDI. Additionally, it updates the Alabama Drug Abuse Task Force’s membership and duties, requires annual reports to the Legislature, expands training and prevention programs, and provides for restitution and enhanced penalties for certain drug paraphernalia offenses.

Who It Affects

• Pharmacies and retail establishments that sell ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products must be licensed, follow storage and packaging rules, verify buyers’ age and ID, and operate the electronic sales tracking system with potential penalties for non-compliance.
• Consumers, especially individuals with drug-related convictions, will face purchase limits and possible denial of sale based on the drug offender tracking system for 7 or 10 years, with data shared among law enforcement and relevant agencies.

Key Provisions

• Restrict sale of ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products to licensed pharmacies; sales must be by a licensed pharmacist, licensed technician, or supervised staff; 30 mg tablets must be blister-packaged; products stored behind a counter or in locked display.
• Impose daily and 30-day purchase limits for ephedrine/pseudoephedrine products; require purchaser age 18+ and government-issued photo ID; detailed sales records stored and shared with state systems; stop-sale alerts with a safety override procedure; penalties for violations.
• Create a real-time electronic drug offender tracking system (20-2-190.2) to catalog drug-related convictions with 7-year retention for possession/paraphernalia and 10-year retention for manufacture/distribution/trafficking; provide stop-sale alerts and NADDI notifications; allow data access by law enforcement and relevant agencies.
• Revise the Alabama Drug Abuse Task Force: broaden membership, duties for education, prevention, and enforcement; require reporting to the Legislature; authorize program development and funding; coordinate with state agencies and boards.
• Authorize restitution to primary law enforcement/prosecutorial entities for investigation costs and allow recovery of environmental cleanup costs; give property owners a pathway to seek remediation costs.
• Address smurfing by criminalizing attempts to purchase multiple quantities to evade limits and preempt local ordinances on ephedrine/pseudoephedrine sales.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses