ONLY A DOCTOR CAN SUPERVISE APPLICATION OF

LINDANE PRODUCTS TO TREAT LICE OR SCABIES

House Bill 4569

Sponsor:  Rep. Ted Hammon

Committee:  Great Lakes and Environment

Complete to 4-30-08

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4569 AS INTRODUCED 4-5-07

Lindane, an environmentally-persistent organochlorine insecticide, is currently available in Michigan and most of the United States as a prescription treatment for lice and scabies in humans.  Due to health and/or environmental concerns, however, the use of lindane has been banned or restricted in many countries; it has been banned in California since 2002. It is no longer used for any agricultural purposes in the United States.  Lindane products for treating lice and scabies now come with an FDA-required black box warning.

House Bill 4569 would amend the Public Health Code to make it unlawful to sell, give away, use, or prescribe any product used for the treatment of lice or scabies in human beings that contains the pesticide chemical lindane.  If, however, a person's doctor considered it necessary, a lindane product could be lawfully obtained by the physician and a treatment given to a patient in the physician's office under the doctor's supervision.   

Penalty.  A violation of the ban on the sale or use of a product containing lindane to treat lice or scabies except in doctors' offices would constitute a misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $5,000.  A person violating the lindane ban could also be charged with any other violation of law committed while selling or using the lindane product. 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill has fiscal implications for state and local government only in the event of violations of the provisions of the new Part 140, which could affect law enforcement, and the judicial and corrections systems.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Shannan Kane

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Susan Frey

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.