Mongiardo Praises Florida Anti-Pill Mill Legislation

Hopefully this legislation will stem the tide of illegal prescription drugs flowing into Kentucky.

Lt. Governor Praises Florida Legislature on Passage of Anti-Pill Mill Legislation
 
 
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 3, 2010) — Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo is applauding the Florida legislature on passage of its anti-pill mill legislation.  The legislation, aimed at shutting down illegally operating pill mills, has been a top priority of Florida Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp and something Lt. Gov. Mongiardo has been pushing for since he testified before a Florida Grand jury last year.
    “This is a positive step toward stopping a drug epidemic in its tracks,” said Lt. Gov. Mongiardo.  “We know the effect it’s had here in Kentucky.  We heard about it at the forums and summits held earlier this year.  Anything that can curtail the flow of those drugs is a step in the right direction.”
    The Florida legislation does a number of things including:
· Prohibits the registration of pain clinics unless they are owned by physicians or licensed by non-physicians as a health care clinic.
· Allows the Department of Health to revoke a pain clinic’s registration when the clinic is not operating according to accepted medical standards.
· Strengthens the existing Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to assist in preventing pill mills from operating in Florida.
· Deters patients from the practice of doctor shopping.

Comments

[james]

Unless we address the extreme problem of poverty in east ky, it will be next to impossible to address the drug problem. Poverty brings emotional pain. Drugs give you a temporary escape from reality. I'm not saying only people living in poverty are hooked on drugs in ky. And I'm not saying that every person living in poverty is hooked on drugs. But I do believe that the lack of jobs and recreation in east ky has impacted a lot of lives with deep emotional stress, and drugs, be it a bad alternative, is the option that a lot of people turn to.