Prescription drug legislation

www.end2meth.org

"A research-based questionnaire screening (DAST-20) for substance use and addictive disorders and a urine test (LC/MS/MS) for alcohol and other drugs shall be administered to all patients prior to prescribing any scheduled drug."

The above legislation proposal is a standard practice of pain management specialist when prescribing scheduled drugs to their patients.  We believe all doctors need to follow the same screening practices utilized by pain management specialists when prescribing scheduled drugs;

This legislation will stop pill mills and doctor shopping while reducing deaths, overdoses and addiction caused by scheduled prescription drugs.  This legislation would also reduce doctor liabilities and lower the over crowding and negative fiscal impact on hospital emergency rooms.

• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics between 1994 and 2007 controlled medications prescribed to adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 29 increased by 14.2 million, an increase of 58%.
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics between 1997 and 2006, the sale of oxycodone increased by 732%, hydrocodone by 244%, and methadone by 1177%.
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics the non-medical use of prescription medications to adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 29 has increased by 162% in the past decade and has surpassed all illicit drugs except marijuana in the United States.
• In Shasta County from December 2005 through December of 2008 a total of 141 Drug—Induced deaths were identified.

·        The five most common drugs found by Shasta County Public Health in the 141 deaths were Methadone, Hydrocodone, Acetaminophen, Methamphetamine and Morphine.

• In Shasta County between 1992 & 2003 there has been a 140.5% increase in self reported opioid abuse.
• In Butte County between 2007 & 2009 four Chico State students died from poly-drug overdoses with multiple scheduled drugs in their system.
• According to the Butte County Public health one in every three deaths in Butte County are from prescription drugs.
• According to Butte County Public Health you are more apt to be killed from a prescription drugs than an automobile accident, diabetes, or many forms of cancer
• According to the Center for Diesease Control in 2008 told the Senate sub-committee on crime & drugs that prescriptions drug abuse is an epidemic, with over 13,000 deaths a year caused by prescription drugs alone. 

James C. Bettencourt

Chairperson: Not In Our Town Glenn County

327 N. Culver Ave.

Willows, Ca. 95988

530-330-3139

jim-bettencourt@sbcglobal.net