Representative Kelly Skidmore Urges Governor To Sign SB 462

From the House Dems:

Dear Governor Crist:

Florida is facing a prescription drug abuse epidemic. According to the Florida Office of Drug Control, the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs in Florida is three times higher than the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined. In fact, nine Floridians die every day due to prescription drug overdoses.

Senate Bill 462, sponsored by Senator Mike Fasano, Representative Marcelo Llorente, Representative Kurt Kelly and myself, authorizes the creation of a prescription drug monitoring system in the Florida Department of Health to track the dispensing of these controlled substances. Such a system is an essential tool to help physicians and law enforcement personnel stop the abuse, misuse, and illegal sale of prescription drugs using high level data security to protect the privacy of our citizens. Florida’s lack of a monitoring system has made our state a target for criminals looking to buy prescription drugs easily and sell them illegally here and elsewhere. Unfortunately, to many people around the country, Florida has become known as the nation’s “pill mill.”

I strongly urge you to sign SB 462 into law and help end the prescription drug abuse epidemic that is killing so many of our citizens and devastating countless Florida families.

All the best,
Kelly Skidmore
State Representative, District 90