DEA proposes to toughen iodine regulations

October 4, 2006 — 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is proposing to increase controls on iodine to help prevent drug traffickers from diverting the chemical for methamphetamine production.

The number of illicit methamphetamine laboratories in the United States that law enforcement found to be using iodine rose steadily from 2,243 in 1999 to 4,904 in 2003, according to the DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center.

The DEA is proposing stricter regulatory controls of iodine crystals and of iodine chemical mixtures containing greater than 2.2 percent iodine. The regulations would therefore control strong iodine tinctures and solutions--such as 7 percent iodine--that do not have common household uses but do have applications in livestock, horses, and equipment disinfection.

The DEA proposal includes moving iodine from designation as a list 2 chemical to designation as a list 1 chemical and regulating transactions of any amount of a product containing greater than 2.2 percent iodine.

Veterinarians would not need to register to handle such iodine products if they are already registered to handle controlled substances. However, anyone who conducts transactions of these iodine products would need to maintain records of the transactions for two years. Anyone handling the products would have to report suspicious transactions and provide effective security. Also, controlled premises are subject to inspection. The proposal appeared in the Aug. 11 Federal Register, available at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/.

Parties may submit comments until Oct. 10 online at http://www.regulations.gov; by e-mail to dea.diversion.policy@usdoj.gov; by express mail to DEA Headquarters, Attention: DEA Federal Register Representative/ODL, 2401 Jefferson-Davis Highway, Alexandria, VA 22301; or by mail to Deputy Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, DC 20537, Attention: DEA Federal Register Representative/ODL.

Comments should include the docket number DEA-257P. Information is available from Christine A. Sannerud, PhD, Chief, Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington, DC 20537 at (202) 307-7183.

Source: AVMA News Bulletin, September 19, 2006