Legislators need to help cities tackle pill abuse, mayor says

Winchester's mayor is displeased with the Kentucky attorney general's recent finding that local governments do not have the right to ban pain clinics within their borders. "The opinion carries no legal authority, but it does represent a major roadblock for local governments," Ed Burtner writes. "It highlights the fact that local officials are limited to a reactive role in addressing the problems associated with prescription drugs abuse. That's unacceptable."

The Kentucky League of Cities supported three bills this year that would have regulated "pill mills," notes Burtner, who is on the league's executive board. None made it out of committee. "City officials throughout the state are committed to working with legislators, the Kentucky Medical Association and other interested parties to develop legislation that tackles prescription drug abuse head-on," Burtner wrote.

According to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy, the abuse of prescription pain relievers in Kentucky is second only to marijuana. Prescription drug-related offenses increased by more than 13 percent in 2008. (Read more)