Bush calls for stricter laws for illegal online Rx

[beentheredonethatagain]

By DEB RIECHMANN - Associated Press Writer

CRAWFORD, Texas(AP) President Bush is asking Congress to work with his administration to end illegal sales of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet to stem a rising number of people dying of overdoses.

Bush used his weekly radio address to highlight his administration's 2008 national drug control strategy, which the White House is releasing Saturday.

The president said that while an estimated 860,000 fewer young people are using drugs today than in 2001, the abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem.

"Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be, and in recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased," Bush said.

One factor behind the trend is the availability of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet, he said.

"The Internet has brought about tremendous benefits for those who cannot easily get to a pharmacy in person," Bush said. "However, it has also created an opportunity for unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists to profit from addiction."

Bush, who is spending the weekend at his Texas ranch with the prime minister of Denmark, said that since 2001, the rate of youth drug abuse has dropped by 24 percent. He said young people's use of marijuana is down by 25 percent; their use of ecstasy has dropped by more than 50 percent; and their use of methamphetamine has declined by 64 percent.

Bush also called on entertainers and professional athletes to serve as role models for young people.
"People in the entertainment and sports industries serve as role models to millions of young Americans, and that comes with the responsibility to dispel the notion that drug abuse is glamorous and free of consequences," he said. "Teachers, pastors and parents also have an obligation to help young people develop the character and self-respect to resist drugs."

Reputation Comments on this post:

good find there

[rxbandit]

Got to keep the good ol' campaign contributing pharma'ceutical companies happy. Go to your friendly local drug dealer(doctor), dont get your shit from those damn foreigners...

It's important to note that most of the domestic problems with abusing pharmaceuticals are not from online pharmacies, at least not in teens, which is the bread and butter of his argument...

It may be one factor but a not very well known one, most people that use online pharmacies are people not dealing in narcotics... and just need some cheap meds because they are getting robbed blind by the pharmaceutical industry. I know many seniors go to Canada for half price Rx's but that has also been slandered by this administration for "purity and safety reasons..." because canada lets their ppl take shit drugs? I say bullshit.

[El Calico Loco]

I wonder where he got those numbers. I wonder if they're just made up.

On the other hand, it wouldn't shock me if illicit drug use were declining. Everyone and their dog has access to Adderal and Ritalin and Xanax and Hillbilly Heroin, now. Why risk getting caught with something illegal when you know the good doctor has the pure shit?


ECL

[ThirdEyeFloond]

Here's a longer version of pretty much the same article from the Guardian. SWIM too wonders if those numbers are just made up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/7350448

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Saturday urged Congress to pass legislation aimed at ending illegal sales of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet, citing a growing number of fatal overdoses.

Bush used his weekly radio address to highlight his administration's 2008 national drug control strategy, which the White House released Saturday. The strategy seeks a 10 percent cut in youth drug use with continued interdiction efforts such as random student drug testing, community outreach and screening and prevention at doctors' offices.

The president said that while an estimated 860,000 fewer young people are using drugs today than in 2001, the abuse of prescription drugs persists.

``Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be, and in recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased,'' Bush said. The White House released the address Saturday while Bush spent the weekend at his Texas ranch.

One factor behind the trend is the availability of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet, he said.

``The Internet has brought about tremendous benefits for those who cannot easily get to a pharmacy in person,'' Bush said. ``However, it has also created an opportunity for unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists to profit from addiction.''

Bush's drug policy adviser, John Walters, said the government is now focusing its ``supply, demand and prevention policies with the goal of seeing the same reductions that we have achieved for illegal `street' drugs.''

A measure passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last September seeks to stem the abuse of prescription drugs via the Internet. It requires that doctor meet with patients in person before prescribing medication and stiffens penalties for those who violate the rules. The bill awaits full Senate consideration.

``The damage can be done on a wide scale by a relatively small number of criminal actors here,'' Walters said. He mentioned cases of ``rogue'' Internet pharmacies that often do not require prescriptions or allow prescriptions to be faxed, making it easier for customers to forge documents or use it at multiple pharmacies.

``Our real task is to follow through,'' he said of the Senate legislation.

Bush, who is spending the weekend at his Texas ranch with the prime minister of Denmark, said that since 2001, the rate of youth drug abuse has dropped by 24 percent. He said young people's use of marijuana is down by 25 percent; their use of ecstasy has dropped by more than 50 percent; and their use of methamphetamine has declined by 64 percent.

Bush also called on entertainers and professional athletes to serve as role models for young people.

``People in the entertainment and sports industries serve as role models to millions of young Americans, and that comes with the responsibility to dispel the notion that drug abuse is glamorous and free of consequences,'' he said. ``Teachers, pastors and parents also have an obligation to help young people develop the character and self-respect to resist drugs.''

In the strategy report, the White House said a recent survey found steroid use among 8th, 10th and 12th graders combined was down from 2001 by 40 percent for use during lifetime, 42 percent for the past year and 22 percent for the past month. It attributed the decreases partly to U.S. support of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which coordinates international efforts to stem improper drug use in sports, as well as continuing efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration to crack down on criminal trafficking of performance-enhancing drugs.

``The general public is becoming less tolerant of doping and is more aware of and concerned about its consequences,'' the report said. ``People understand that what happens at the elite level of sport often has a trickle-down effect on children, who want to emulate sports stars.''

Among the other goals outlined in the report:

-reduced diversion of prescription drugs and methamphetamine precursors.

-declines in Andean cocaine production and Afghan opium poppy production.

-reduced flow of illegal drugs across the border with Mexico.

-declines in domestic production and use of marijuana.

Reputation Comments on this post:

For all the help with the rehab index and good posts in general

[beentheredonethatagain]

I dont know about the numbers as a whole but the meth. number sounds like it would be plausable, since the home labs are few and very far between.

Nik knows the number of tweekers (speed users) are far far less in his city and its surroundings. sure there is that small element who buy the mexican stuff, but that is far less potent, making less less desirable, to most.

[Hyperspaceblastoff]

there is no way weed is down 25%
that is totaly bogus
i no all about how stats are minupulated
know1 even tells the truth on those anyways

Reputation Comments on this post:

I think you are correct , weed is not down that much

[zera]

Originally Posted by beentheredonethatagain

"People in the entertainment and sports industries serve as role models to millions of young Americans, and that comes with the responsibility to dispel the notion that drug abuse is glamorous and free of consequences,"

Does this mean that blaming Lindsay Lohan is now an acceptable defense to narcotics possession?