STATE CAN SHUT DOWN DANGEROUS 'PILL MILLS'

Florida's disreputable status as the nation's pain pill dispenser
should change soon, thanks to a new state law that took effect Oct.
1.

The law is intended to eliminate "pill mills" -- walk-in clinics that
churn out thousands of prescriptions for powerful painkillers, often
without appropriate medical exams -- and the unsavory kind of tourism
that has grown up around them. According to statistics from the
federal government, Florida has been dispensing hundreds of millions
of pain pills every year. Many of these pills end up in the hands of
"pillbillies" from northern states who travel south to score
potentially addictive pain medications such as oxycodone.

Law enforcement officials compare prescription drug abuse to the crack
cocaine epidemic that fueled addiction and crime in the 1980s. Florida
is ground zero for this new drug scourge. Officials with the state
Office of Drug Control say prescription-drug overdoses kill far more
Floridians -- seven a day -- than all illegal drugs combined.

Who knows how many residents of other states have died as a result of
the pillbilly trafficking in oxycodone, Lortab and other potentially
dangerous prescription drugs? Much of this social carnage -- the
addictions, related crimes and deaths -- stems from Florida's failure
to adequately regulate pain management clinics.

The new law will not put a stop to the abuse of prescription drugs.
Doctor-shopping, forged prescriptions and the over-prescribing of
painkillers by legitimate physicians all play a role in the abuse.
Most nonmedical users of prescription drugs get the drugs from friends
and family members.

But pill mills represent the most visible and egregious abuse of
prescription drugs. Law enforcement agencies have targeted clinics
suspected of being pill mills, including one in Port Orange and one in
Orange City. But in the absence of serious regulation, it's hard to
fight the problem with law enforcement alone.

The new law's requirements should shut down most illegitimate pain
management operations. Clinics now must be owned by a doctor or group
of doctors, or register with the Agency for Health Care
Administration. Doctors are limited to providing a 72-hour supply of
pills for patients who pay with cash, checks or credit cards instead
of insurance. A physical exam must be performed on the same day the
drugs are prescribed, and the medical reason for the prescription must
be documented if the patient receives more than a 72-hour supply.

A lawsuit challenging the new law has been filed. It's possible the
requirements related to cash payment for prescriptions will not
withstand legal scrutiny, given that a large number of people lack
health insurance. But, overall, the law provides a solid foundation
for efforts to curb prescription-drug abuse.

There's already talk in political circles of making the law even
tougher. Lawmakers should keep in mind that over-regulation could keep
patients suffering from real pain from obtaining medically appropriate
relief. Let's see how the new law works before we debate whether to
impose even stricter regulations.