Political Quotes

“I rise today to introduce legislation that will help stop criminals from exploiting the Internet to illegally sell prescription drugs. I am pleased to be joined in this effort by Senator Sessions, Senator Schumer, and Senator Cornyn. I first became concerned about the issue of illegitimate online pharmacies in 2001, when one of my constituents, high school student Ryan Haight, died from an overdose of the controlled substance Vicodin. He had purchased the Vicodin from a rogue online pharmacy after simply filling out an online questionnaire in which he described himself as a 25-year-old male suffering from chronic back pain. The doctor prescribing the drug never met or personally examined Ryan. Ryan's death was a terrible tragedy. He was a remarkable young man, an honors student and an athlete. He looked forward to going to college. Instead, his life was cut short. In response, I introduced legislation, beginning in 2004, to better regulate the online sale of prescription drugs that are controlled substances. In 2008, the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, Ryan Haight Act, was enacted into law, and it became effective in April 2009. Senator Sessions was the lead cosponsor on that legislation. The Ryan Haight Act makes it a violation of the Controlled Substances Act to dispense a prescription for a controlled substance by means of the Internet without a practitioner having conducted at least one in- person medical evaluation of the purchaser.…”