S. 2870: Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act

This bill, titled the Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, aims to enhance the regulation of specific machines used in manufacturing pills and capsules, namely tableting and encapsulating machines. Its main goals are to combat the illegal production of controlled substances and to improve accountability among manufacturers and distributors of these machines. Below are the key provisions of the bill:

Overview of Key Provisions

• Definitions and Regulations: The bill updates the definitions in the Controlled Substances Act to include "regulated persons"—those who handle chemicals or machines related to illegal drug production.
• Identification Requirements: Manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of tableting and encapsulating machines must now permanently mark these machines and their critical parts with serial numbers. This step aims to create a traceable record of transactions involving these machines.
• Record-Keeping: Regulated individuals or entities must maintain records of all dealings involving these machines, including the serial numbers, and report this information to the Attorney General.
• New Regulations: The Attorney General is required to set regulations within 180 days of the bill’s enactment. These regulations will provide detailed guidelines for the identification and record-keeping processes.
• Prohibitions: The bill prohibits the removal, alteration, or obliteration of any required serial numbers. It is also illegal to conduct transactions involving machines with tampered serial numbers.

Enforcement and Compliance

To ensure compliance, the bill mandates that the updated rules and regulations be enforced, meaning penalties or legal actions could be taken against parties that fail to adhere to the new requirements. The emphasis is placed on maintaining the integrity of the serial numbers as an essential feature in monitoring the machines that can potentially be used for illegal drug production.

Exceptions and Effective Dates

The regulations regarding the identification of machines will only apply to machines manufactured or otherwise dealt with after the new regulations come into effect. Older machines will have specific guidance issued to help comply with the new protocol.

Relevant Companies

None found.