Political Quotes

“Prescription drug pain relievers, stimulants, and other controlled substances play a crucial role in health care. But when misused, those same medicines can be enormously destructive, as we know. Some are addictive, life threatening; many are both. As these medicines proliferate, so, unfortunately, does the risk of misuse. Over the last decade, use of prescription pain relievers has increased by nearly 200 percent, while the use of stimulants has increased by more than 150 percent. Some 6.2 million Americans misuse prescription medicines for nonmedical purposes. In 1999 a quarter of those who took prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes were new users. In other words, this problem is not just growing; simply, it is exploding. To combat this problem, physicians and pharmacists need information. This legislation... will provide the information and coordination necessary to stem the misuse of prescription medicines.”