Issue Position: Fight Prescription Drug Abuse

Issue Position

We are living in a state that boasts the third highest drug overdose mortality rate in the nation -- and it's not really something to boast about. According to our government's findings, Kentucky loses over 1000 Kentuckians each year from prescription drug abuse alone. The non-medical use of prescription pills is a big problem for our communities, and is also our nation's fastest growing issue. While there is no way to perfectly safeguard our families against the issue of drug abuse, there are ways to battle this epidemic:

Work on improving current prescription abuse legislation.
Decrease over-prescription and number of "pill mills" by holding physicians accountable.
Find and implement local solutions.
Educate our communities and encourage families to monitor their children's activity.
Crack down on drug dealers with harsher penalties.
This issue is composed of a multi-faceted problem, and will require a diverse and multi-faceted solution. That solution will take time, and I am prepared to do everything I can to improve our numbers nationally, while also recovering the lives of those who have been touched by this disease.

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