BARNETT BILL SEEN AS WAY TO CUT PRESCRIPTION ABUSE

Dist. 92 Rep. Dr. Jim Barnett expects a House committee to take up a
bill Thursday that would help authorities identify potential cases of
prescription drug abuse.

Barnett's bill would create a controlled substances prescription
monitoring program under the direction of the state Board of Pharmacy.
It has been referred to the Public Health and Human Services and
Appropriations committees.

"It's a good bill," said Barnett, who anticipated its passage by the
health and human service committee today.

Barnett said the top drug problem is not cocaine, but abuse of
prescription drugs.

Barnett credited Dr. David Smith, a family doctor from Summit, with
helping him get the legislation going. Smith said the problem is not
only in southwest Mississippi, but across the state.

"I've seen the epidemic abuse that's out there in the community,"
Smith said.

Barnett's bill would require drug dispensers to provide the pharmacy
board with information such as the patient's name, the type of drug
and quantity given and the prescriber's name. The board would set up
guidelines regarding reporting frequency.

"Privacy would be maintained," Barnett said about patients records
confidentiality.

However, the act calls for the board to review the information
submitted to it and notify authorities, such as the Mississippi Bureau
of Narcotics, should they suspect a violation of the law. Barnett said
the bill would help alert the board if they detect a doctor
prescribing drugs outside his field of expertise, or if he is
prescribing high quantities of a particular medication.

"If they see that as a frequent pattern, there would be some
examination of it," Barnett said.

The bill also has been referred to the Appropriations Committee.
However, Barnett and Smith both mentioned receiving a grant to fund
the electronic equipment needed to establish the program.

"This is at no cost to the state," Barnett said.

In fact, Smith believes the monitoring program will actually save
money in a variety of ways. He said it would save money by reducing
the costs of prosecuting prescription drug abusers and rehabilitating
them after a conviction.

"All these people would be stopped at the source from getting these
prescriptions," said Smith, who has written articles about the topic
for the American Family Association.

Smith said the monitoring system would also reduce doctors' staff
costs regarding following up on prescriptions. He said doctors would
not have to wonder if someone who is seeking a prescription is telling
them the truth or not.

"We get taken advantage of sometimes because we want to help people,"
Smith said.

Smith said individual tablets of prescription pain killers like Lorcet
or OxyContin can sell for several dollars to $20 each on the street.

"It's a big problem," Smith said. "Each state that has this kind of
monitoring system has seen a drastic decline."

Smith said about 16 states now have a prescription drug monitoring
program.

Prescription drug abuse problem is one that affects a lot of families,
Smith said. In addition to families of drug abusers, he mentioned
homes or people who could be robbed to support an abuser's habit.

He said the monitoring program could address some of those fears.

"I think it will make people feel safer knowing that people can't go
to the pharmacy and get these prescription drugs for very long without
being caught," Smith said.

If approved by the full House, the bill would also have to pass the
Senate and then by signed by the governor. The bill is House Bill 1187.