Comments about ‘Task force takes aim at prescription-drug abuse’

I am very pleased to see this project and hope it is used to its fullest potential. Our family has been living this nightmare for 6 years with a family member who became hooked on pain medications through prescriptions freely handed out. It has torn our family apart and my grandson lives in fear that he will find her dead. All my support to you .......

Maybe the officals should just understand is that we are a drug abusing society. The way to live with reality is to get out of it. We wouldn't have Mexican cartels killing each other today if their wasn't a demand for drugs in the US. Drug companies make billions of dollars a year and you think those drugs that are made are from peanut butter? For all those that have invested in a drug company you are no different than those that sell illegal contra-band on the corners. Think about that next time you pull in to your garage with your nice life.

It's about time something was done, although I doubt this new task force wil accomplish much. If they're serious, the first thing that should happen is to get the methamphetamine and heroin-like drugs out of the pharmacy. Think I'm exaggerating? Think again.

Google Desoxyn, and then go to Walgreen's website and do a search for it. It is METHAMPHETAMINE, and it is available at your local pharmacy, along with a number of other amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine). And the better-known Oxycontin has proven itself to be just as addictive and just as life-destroying as heroin.

But they will remain right where they are. Because it's all about money. Drug companies and pharmacists get rich off this stuff, just like the drug cartels do. If all they sold were antibiotics and other legitimate medications, they would make far, far less - and they know it.

The war on drugs will never succeed as long as it is up against the almighty dollar.

Maybe the state could mandate lockable medicine cabinets, that are serial numbered, and have a transponder, that tells a central computer when it is opened, and by whom. It could also be programmed to open only at certain times. If grandma tries to open the cabinet early, the central computer will dispatch a SWAT Team, and take her down.

I think it's very interesting that everyone is so worried about grandma's cabinets when we should also be looking at our doctors. My mother had shoulder surgery over 4 years ago and her doctor continues to write her prescriptions for pain pills. I'm not saying mother doesn't have pain but what I am saying is this..... shouldn't the doctors be aware of what they are prescribing. My mother has four different prescriptions for pain pills. Needless to say, she is now addicted and doesn't feel as though it's a problem because it was prescribed by her doctor.

Lastly, how can I get involved with this task force?

I know someone who was told by his Doctor that he wouldn't see him any more because he thought he was "drug seeking" and other that was told he would no longer take him as a patient because when he went into the office the Doctor tested his blood for the drug and there was no indication he had taken any (that day or at least the last 48 hours).I guess the Doctor was assuming he was selling them or something. There has to be a happy medium here somewhere, there are people with chronic disease that wouldn't get out of bed if they didn't have their pain pills. I'm not one of them but people with arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis shouldn't have to suffer because of stupid people or presumptive Doctors.

To Concerned RN: It's more likely the reason the doctor(s) refused to prescribe to the patients you reference is because the doctor(s) found the patients' names in a statewide database that indicated there was a problem. This database keeps track of controlled substances filled by people in Utah (if the pharmacy participates), including names, dates, names of the controlled substances, and other data.