Yesterday I called attention to the fact that Republican Governor Rick Scott was being taken to task by Hal Rogers (R, KY-05) for enabling the trade of illegal pharmaceutical drugs through Florida's "pill mills" via his plan to prevent implentation of Florida's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in my diary FL Gov. Scott's Oxycontin problem.
I concluded with Gov. Scott's contact info:
Gov. Rick Scott
850 / 488-4441
I've learned of a couple of new developments today which I'll share below the fold.
First, according to the Wall Street Journal today, 4 senators ask Florida to end 'flamingo express':
Senators from Florida, New York, Rhode Island and West Virginia called on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to enact a program they say would better track the growing trade of abused prescription drugs to other states in what the Drug Enforcement Agency has called the "flamingo express."
"Such a policy not only leaves Florida exposed to criminal elements in the business of trafficking controlled substances, but also has serious ramifications for the rest of the country battling abuse of prescription drugs," wrote Sens. Charles Schumer of New York, Bill Nelson of Florida and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
"Young adults are particularly at risk," wrote Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. "According to the Centers for Disease Control, prescription drugs are the leading cause of death due to unintentional injury in Rhode Island and 15 other states."
A quick Google search of Rick Scott + PDMP revealed that the Florida Pain Clinic Society has issued a rebuttal to Scott's bogus claims that his opposition is based (partly) on inadequate non-state funding. As reported on theStreet.com (among many other places): Florida Pain Clinic Society Responds To Scott's PDMP 'Falsehood'
The Florida Society of Pain Management Providers ( www.Flspmp.org) moves to set the record straight on funding for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) as Governor Rick Scott has chosen, albeit incorrectly, to make state funding an issue in his mission to repeal the PDMP legislation.
snip
Based on data from the 34 states with operational PDMP history it is clear that Florida's PDMP will need approximately $1.2 million for its first two years of operation. Thereafter the projected annual cost to maintain the program is approximately $500,000.
snip
Not a single dollar "found" comes from State of Florida taxes:
Funding "found" through Federal Grants :
Rogers Implementation Grant - $400,000
Rogers Enhancement Grant - $400,000
Federal Grants TOTAL: $800,000
Funding "found" through Private Grants:
National Association of State Controlled Substance Authorities (NASCSA): $45,952
Private Grants TOTAL: $45,952
Funding "found" through Private Fundraising :
Private Fundraising TOTAL: $475,000
Total funds "found" for Florida PDMP operation: $1,320,952
Additional "found" is $100,000 in grants and pledges to be received later this year.
And, last but not least, I discovered that Politifact rated as "true" the claim that ...nearly all of nation's top 50 oxycodone prescribers are in Florida.
Bruce Grant, the director of the drug control office, cited a report from the United Way of Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse. While the report focuses primarily on Broward County, it uses national figures from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to say that 49 of the 50 top prescribers are in Florida.
snip, and the emphasis on the following is mine
"If you go down there, when you see what's going on, it will blow your mind," Grant said. "The parking lots are literally filled with out of state plates. People from Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina, they're hanging around. People are lined up outside the doors."
There was some debate in the comments of my diary yesterday as to whether I (and others calling attention to this issue) are just banging the drum for the "War on Drugs." That is not my intention at all. This is attempt to shine light on Florida's problem with profiteering pill mills, a Governor who is attempting to protect them, and the devastating effects that it's having beyond the borders of Florida (not the least of which is the disruption it's causing to legitimate phycisians who've become afraid to prescribe these powerful drugs to legitimate pain-sufferers).
So I'll close today with two final thoughts.
First, I encourage you to check out this reasoned comment to my diary yesterday as an example of the effectiveness of a PDMP from her experience.
And finally, I'll say again:
Gov. Rick Scott
850 / 488-4441
Won't you make a call today? And please consider calling your representatives to ask them to join Rep. Rogers and Sens. Schumer, Whitehouse, Nelson and Manchin in racheting up the pressure on Gov. Scott.
Thanks.