News release from IPFW:
IPFW Partners with National Healthcare Trade Association for “Anti-smurfing” Campaign
(April 6, 2016) — In partnership with the Indiana University-Purdue University (IPFW) Center for Healthy Living and the IPFW Peer Educators, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) launched an anti-smurfing campaign on the IPFW campus.
The campaign marks a national effort to raise awareness on the consequences of purchasing cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) for individuals who intend to illegally divert these medicines to make meth, a practice referred to by law enforcement as “smurfing.” Smurfing is illegal and can lead to a felony conviction.
Posters educating students about the dangers and consequences of smurfing will be displayed across the IPFW campus beginning April 10.
PSE is a common, safe, and effective ingredient found in cold and allergy medicine, such as Claritin-D and Sudafed. Meth criminals, in addition to purchasing medicines containing PSE to illegally divert, also recruit others to purchase these medicines once they’ve reached their legal purchase limit allowed by law. In Indiana, monthly gram limits are 20% lower than the national limit and 43% less than the national annual limit, so smurfing is particularly relevant in the state.
“IPFW and the academic community is doing its part to combat the serious meth issue facing our state,” said Grayson Ostermeyer, student and IPFW lead peer health educator. “Meth is a truly horrible drug that affects all parts of our community, and the anti-smurfing campaign informs the public about smurfing, not only its direct contribution to the meth epidemic but also the consequences of purchasing medicine containing PSE for criminals. This campaign will reach students to show how a routine trip to the pharmacy could lead to time behind bars and a lifelong record.”
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