In 1999, the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) amended its model regulation, the Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation (UPLR), to contain the following:
11.33. Inch-Pound Units, Exemptions - Consumer Commodities. - The requirements for statements of quantity in inch-pound units shall not apply to packages that bear appropriate SI units. This exemption does not apply to foods, drugs, or cosmetics or to packages subject to regulation by the Federal Trade Commission, meat and poultry products subject to the Federal Meat or Poultry Products Inspection Acts, and tobacco or tobacco products. Since this amendment was added to the UPLR, the governments of 48 states and all U.S. territories have incorporated it into their own regulations. Only New York and Alabama have not done so, and it has been strongly suggested to me that New York State will soon become the 49th state to adopt it. That leaves only Alabama, which could demonstrate considerable resistance to this simple option: an option for manufacturers to drop the customary units from the labeling of products not regulated by the federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA). In other words, this is a "mirror" version our proposed FPLA amendment for the metric-only option, at the state or territorial level. Accordingly, I ask this list: do you know any Alabamans who are strong supporters of U.S. metrication? If so, don't have them write to Alabama officials in support of this UPLR amendment just yet! If they are Internet-proficient, please--tell them about this Listserver and ask them to subscribe (subscription is free; for instructions on how to subscribe, see http://www.metric.org/listserv.htm). I think it useful for them to talk here about what they know about the attitudes about metric in Alabama. We need to cultivate support of Alabama citizens for this measure, and I think it would be useful to collect some voices here, and raise their awareness and enthusiasm. Why is this potentially so important? If we can get unanimous agreement of the 55 several U.S. weights-and-measures jurisdictions that metric units are allowed to stand alone on U.S. consumer packaging, debate over the FPLA (federal) equivalent of this becomes almost moot. In fact, a unanimous roll call on UPLR may represent the most significant advance in U.S. metrication since the 1988 amendment to the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, because then, with unanimity on UPLR, metric units will be deemed both legally preferred and intrinsically legitimate in U.S. commerce. Try forwarding this post to interested Alabamans. From here, we'll give out addresses to which they should write if they want to express support. Thank you very much for your assistance. SI-incerely, Paul Trusten, R.Ph. Public Relations Director U.S. Metric Association, Inc. www.metric.org 3609 Caldera Blvd. Apt. 122 Midland TX 79707-2872 US +1(432)528-7724 [email protected]
