Addiction is a serious problem that affects millions of Americans. Many people struggle with addiction for years, and some even die from it. New legislation could help make it harder for addicts to get prescription drugs. The Pilfering Prevention Act (https://www.wgnsradio.com/pilfering-prevention-act-presented-by-state-leaders-cms-49479) is meant to prevent drug abusers from stealing medication that belongs to family members or friends. It could also help reduce crime related to the theft of prescription medications.
The new law would require all prescription drugs to come in lockable bottles. Only the person who is prescribed the medication would know the combination to unlock the bottles. The idea is that the bottle would keep drug abusers from accessing the drugs easily and abusing them.
Pic Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/pill-gel-capsule-medicine-health-3069032/
Parents, friends, and family members of addicts are supportive of this new law. Betty Mason is just one of many parents who has lost their children to drug abuse. She thinks that the new law could save lives.
She talked about it saying,
“The path to addiction starts at home with prescription drugs. We were sitting at the dining room table discussing the obituary and what we'd put in there. A friend of mine said what are you going to say about her death? I said I'm going to tell it. It's time we lowered this veil and talked about it. If you had the joy of meeting our kids, you'd know their infectious personalities. This disease did not define them in any way. None of them woke up one day and decided that this is the day I'd start using heroin or other dangerous drugs that would one day take their lives. There's no greater sorrow than losing a child. But we are empowered by our children to help others avoid this pain.”
Others Who Support the Bill
The new bill is also supported by Senator Richard Briggs, a Knoxville lawmaker. He is part of a coalition, called Secure Tennessee's Opioid Prescriptions. He and the members of the coalition believe that this is the first step in towards reducing the number of deaths caused by drug usage.
He said,
“Too often well-meaning Tennesseans are completely unaware of the highly addictive, and potentially lethal, prescriptions drugs sitting in the family medicine cabinet. This is where drug addiction starts, and often where accidental overdoses occur. These drugs are being manufactured and prescribed in record numbers, and so it shouldn’t be a surprise that drug-related deaths are at an all-time high in Tennessee. We must explore every tool to combat this epidemic, and my bill is a practical and important step in the right direction."
While the new pill bottles may not put a stop to drug use, it could help parents of teens become more aware of the problem before things get out of hand. It’s easier for the prescription owner to see if someone is messing with their bottles, and it can help them notice the warning signs of addiction before the drug usage gets out of hand. Parents may be able to notice that the locks have been messed up, and they can talk to their children about it.
Representative Mathew Hill is also a part of the STOP coalition and voiced his support (https://www.wsmv.com/news/lawmakers-introduce-legislation-to-combat-opioid-addiction-where-it-starts/article_1313aeea-28d7-11e9-bdbf-e744905be0e3.html) for the new bill.
He said,
“Currently there is little distinction between the way commonly-prescribed drugs and highly-addictive and dangerous drugs are dispensed in Tennessee,” said Rep. Hill. “If we’re going to be serious about addressing our obvious prescription drug problem in Tennessee, we have to implement safeguards that differentiate certain dangerous prescriptions and divert the possibility of abuse. That’s what my bill aims to do.”
What is Pilfering?
Pilfering (https://www.drugtopics.com/community-practice/prescription-drug-pilfering-home-prevented-two-new-products) or only taking a few pills at a time is the easiest and most common way for teens to still prescription medications from their parents. This is often where their addiction starts. Teens and even children take one or two pills from their parents. The amount is so small that parents don’t realize they are missing. They assume they took them themselves or didn’t get enough with their refills. This continues until the teen or person taking the pills needs more and more. They stop sneaking small amounts and start taking more pills. They later turn to other methods and as their dependency on the drug grows, so with their desperation. This can lead to a life of crime and eventually, their addiction can kill them.
By stopping the pilfering and making it harder for teens to have access to these pills, it could prevent them from ever trying them and abusing them. The bill still needs to go through a committee before it goes to the house and the Senate. Many supporters believe that it will be passed by Governor Bill Lee.
We here at Sunshine Behavioral Health (https://twitter.com/sunshinebehavi1) believe in 100% safety when it comes to prescriptions, and who has access to them.