Florida legislators at both the federal and state levels looked to increase the penalties for convicted pill mill operators on Monday.
The states fight against prescription-drug abuse and pill mills received a bit of help from the federal government when Florida Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan unveiled The Pill Mill Crackdown Act of 2011, with support of congressmen from both parties.
Buchanans legislation would direct money seized from pill mill operators to be used for drug treatment, for increasing fines and sentences for those convicted of running pill mills and changing standards, making hydrocodone drugs harder to obtain. The bill also calls for the federal government to operate monitoring programs.
The bill increased the consequences for convicted pill mill operators, raising the maximum federal prison sentence from 10 years to 20 and increasing the maximum fine from $1 million to $3 million.
Today, we take a crucial step toward putting these pill mills out of business, said Buchanan. Many of these so-called pain clinics are nothing more than illegal drug distribution networks that bring untold misery to our children, our families, and our communities. I appreciate the bipartisan support Ive received from members across the country who recognize the severity of this epidemic.
Buchanan received the backing of members of both parties from the Florida delegation as co-sponsors, including Republicans Ander Crenshaw, Mario Diaz-Balart, John Mica, Jeff Miller, Rich Nugent, David Rivera, Tom Rooney and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as well as the support of Democrats Corrine Brown, Kathy Castor, Ted Deutch, Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Frederica Wilson. The bill also received the backing of the two co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse -- California Republican Mary Bono-Mack, who is married to Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, and Massachusetts Democrat U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch.
Congressman Buchanans bill gets it absolutely right, said Kentucky Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, who chairs the powerful Appropriations Committee. More and more of my colleagues are joining the fight to put these unregulated pill mills out of business and the pushers behind bars. I applaud Congressman Buchanans efforts in leading his state and I believe this bill is another important and thoughtful step in our fight to end the scourge of prescription-drug abuse.
Buchanans bill also received the praise of Democratic stalwart U.S. Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts who joined Rogers as a co-sponsor.
This legislation will help curb the growing epidemic of prescription-drug abuse by cracking down on the health care providers who prescribe medically unnecessary painkillers, and will support law enforcement in their efforts to identify and stop illegal activities, insisted Markey.
Buchanans measure also won the backing of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse (NCAPDA).
Prescription-drug abuse has become a national epidemic that has no boundaries, said April Rovero, president of the NCAPDA. The pill mills that are fueling this epidemic simply must be shut down. The NCAPDA applauds Congressman Buchanan for taking this action to save lives and urges Congress to pass this bill as quickly as possible.
While Buchanan introduced his bill in Washington, a measure that would also increase the consequences for pill mill operators moved through the state Senate Health Care Regulation Committee on Monday. Under the legislation, backed by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, the Senate continued to express support for the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program which the House wants to scrap.
Fasanos bill would allow the state Board of Medicine the ability to suspend medical licensees for up to six months and impose fines of at least $10,000 to doctors who authorize unethical prescriptions.
The Florida Senate has sent a strong message that the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program and the regulation of pill mills is the way to put unscrupulous dispensers and prescribers of controlled substances out of business, said Fasano, who then fired away at the House. Unlike the Florida House, which wants to undo the years of work that have brought needed regulation to the pill mill industry, the Florida Senate is serious in its efforts to combat the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs.
With seven people dying each day due to a causal relationship with prescription drugs, it is imperative that we move forward quickly to implement these new regulations, added Fasano.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the increased penalties in Fasanos bill on Monday.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
