WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today released the following statement after Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam unveiled new legislation that would limit law-abiding consumers' access to popular nonprescription cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE).

The governor's bill would reduce the amount of PSE-based medicines consumers can buy to 2.4 grams for a 30-day period, or 28.8 grams per year--a reduction that would be particularly burdensome for individuals who suffer from seasonal allergy symptoms. Tennessee experiences some of the most severe allergy seasons in the country with three major cities--Knoxville, Memphis and Chattanooga--among the top ten most challenging places to live with fall allergy symptoms, according to 2013 Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America data. If enacted, the restriction would dramatically impact those consumers who suffer from chronic allergies.

"We commend Governor Haslam and other Tennessee leaders for their desire to address the state's methamphetamine problem, but the legislation proposed today would burden law-abiding Tennesseans -- particularly those who suffer from frequent allergy symptoms --with severe restrictions on the amount of certain cold and allergy medicines they can obtain before consulting a doctor," said Scott Melville, president and chief executive officer of CHPA. "For too many Tennessee families, the proposal is tantamount to a prescription mandate and imposes unnecessary burdens on law-abiding citizens' time and pocketbooks. With the beginning of this year's legislative session now underway, we look forward to a healthy dialogue with the governor and Tennessee legislators to find an effective means to punish criminals, not law-abiding Tennesseans."

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) is the 133-year-old trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements. Every dollar spent by consumers on OTC medicines saves the U.S. healthcare system $6-$7, contributing a total of $102 billion in savings each year. CHPA is committed to promoting the increasingly vital role of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements in America's healthcare system through science, education, and advocacy.

chpa.org

SOURCE The Consumer Healthcare Products Association