Published: October 20, 2007 10:50 pm      

Legislation discussed to address prescription drug abuse

By Debby Schamber

The Orange Leader



Orange County Sheriff Mike White in conjunction with officials with Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana went to Washington DC recently to discuss federal legislation to address the growing polypharmaceutical abuse.

White and his group, in addition to congressmen, met with Drug Enforcement Administration officials to discuss the problems.

White wants to have a bill on the state and federal level that will track the number of prescriptions dispensed at pharmacies.

White hopes to have a database system in place that will not allow patients to fill multiple prescriptions within a short time period.

“When we get hurt we don’t like to be in pain, but it doesn’t take long to get hooked,” White said. “The pills destroy the body from the inside out.”

Senate Bill 980, which has been filed, deals with some of the issues of internet pharmacies, White said.

“It states the doctor has to have a personal relationship with the patient in order to write prescriptions,” White said.

White was instrumental in getting attention from the Texas Medical Board and shutting down the pain management clinics in Orange County.

“There was nine and now there are only two left,” White said.

However, this does not stop people in search of the “cocktail”. People are now traveling to Houston to get their drugs. The cocktail includes Hydrocodone, Soma and Xanax. In Houston, there are more than 400 pain management clinics. In addition, pharmacies fill more 5 million prescriptions per year, according to White.

“The cocktail gives a euphoria similar to meth,” White said. “However, people caught with meth got to jail, with prescription medications nothing happens.”

White worked on a state bill to track drugs, but he wants to take it to a federal level.

The state bill tracks Schedule 1-5 drugs. Before the signing of the state bill, only schedule and 2 drugs were tracked by officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety. If something was found then the information was sent to state agencies, according to White.

White began his assault on pain management clinics when he noticed the number of deaths and related crimes due to prescription drugs.

According to White, there were 33 deaths in Orange County related to prescription medications in 2006. In addition, there were 158 deaths reported by the Jefferson County Morgue. The Jefferson County Morgue covers 16 counties in Southeast Texas.

“I told the chief deputy (Mike Marion), this is something we have to do,” White said.

However, the problem is not only an East Texas problem, but also in Calcasieu Parish, La.

“There are an average of 1.25 people who die because of prescription drugs in a parish of 180,000,” White said.

As part of a continuing effort to crack down on the prescription drug problem, area law enforcement agencies conducted raids June 13 on pain management clinics, pharmacies and a residence in Beaumont.

Seized during the raids were computers, cash and files. Law enforcement officials boxed up the items and transported the items to be evaluated as part of an ongoing federal investigation.

In all there were seven warrants served. The pain management clinic located at Northway Shopping Center in Orange and a clinic in Beaumont were two of the warrants served. Four pharmacies from Beaumont, Vidor and Port Arthur were served warrants. A residence in Beaumont was also raided.



Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2613, or dschamber@orangeleader.com