NOTE FROM JOHN: I'd like to welcome my friend John Moyers to the blog. John's been a radio and newspaper reporter, and then in late 1998 founded TomPaine.com where, among other things, John created a series of "op-ads" for the opinion page of the New York Times. Basically, every week Tom Paine would buy a quarter page ad on the opinion page of the Times. The ads were quite aggressive and smart, and often inspired their own spin-off news stories (for example, John helped us take on Dr. Laura back in 2000, and got a lot of coverage as a result). John escaped DC for Vermont about eight years ago. We're very glad to welcome him to the blog.
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| John Moyers |
Florida is home to scores of "pain management clinics" where, under the thinnest of pretense, anyone with cash and a bit of patience can get ridiculous numbers of pain pills in one prescription -- literally hundreds in one script. What makes it all possible is Florida's lack of a computerized prescription tracking system like those used in virtually every other state.
Little surprise, then, that people from all over the eastern U.S. flock to the Sunshine State to do a little doctor-shopping before heading back home with bags full of party favors. The consequences are disastrous. For the whole criminally tragic story, check out the compelling, Peabody Award-winning, 2009 documentary from Current TV,The OxyContin Express. The first half reports from Florida, the source, and the second half travels to eastern Kentucky to survey the carnage.
In 2009, after years of complaints from other states, Florida's then-governor, Charlie Crist, finally signed a law that would create a "Prescription Drug Monitoring Program."
And now the news: Florida's current governor, Republican Rick Scott, reportedly intends to repeal the law. Florida will once again be safe for the legalized drug dealers who retail the goods for Big Pharma.
At least one elected official from Kentucky is protesting. "On behalf of my constituents, who continue to suffer from out-of-control and escalating prescription drug diversion originating from your state, I respectfully ask that you reverse your position," wrote Rep. Hal Roders (R-KY) in a letter to Scott.
And White House Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske will tour Kentucky this week to view the problem from there.
Ah, Tea Party Values as personified by Rick Scott: Create a state tracking system so people can't abuse powerful drugs? God forbid the government get in the way of private profit, even if that profit is extracted from the misery of our citizens, and at great cost to all taxpayers.
I need a Valium.
(h/t to CDH in Brooklyn for the tip. When I read CDH's post, the Current TV report came to mind -- it really is a must-watch now.)
