A few years back, I was obsessed with Gregory House and his “houseisms.” He was sarcastic, to say the least, but very smart, bordering on genius. I’ve always wanted to be like him – spouting medical terms and being able to find solutions to baffling medical problems out of thin air. It’s like magic. Dr. House had a very intimidating personality, and even though he walked with a cane, you can’t help but admire some of his more positive features. Most viewers of “House” must’ve hated him for demeaning others and for acting like he was invincible. However, there was a side to him that must have also connected with so many people, and that was his vulnerable side that was addicted to pain killer. Thousands of real people who are suffering from chronic pain know how easy it can be to become addicted to controlled substances.
What Are Controlled Substances?
Opiates or narcotics are substances that are often used in pain management. Examples are heroin and morphine, which are dangerous drugs when abused. Because these types of pain medications are severely damaging when used incorrectly, federal and state agencies regulate the manufacture, distribution, use, and importation of such substances. These are known as controlled substances. Doctors don’t just give out prescriptions for these kinds of stuff. They must have a reason why they are prescribing narcotics or other controlled substances to their patients. In case medical professionals abuse their power by giving medications to those who don’t really need it, they could end up in jail or they might have their license revoked.
“I-STOP” Bill (7637)
The “I-STOP” bill desires to curb the misuse of controlled substances. This was sponsored by Sen. Andrew Lanza and Sen. Kemp Hannon. There are several great provisions in this bill, including the Prescription Monitoring Program that allows medical practitioners to check or review a person’s history in relation to his use of a controlled drug. In addition to this, there’s “e-prescribing” so that doctors and pharmacists can easily and quickly check and verify what’s being given to a patient. This seeks to discourage people from making fake prescriptions. Educating and increasing awareness about the detriments of substance abuse is also one of the objectives of this bill. It also addresses the problem of drug disposal. When illegal substances are just left lying around, there might be some who’ll get tempted to try these out, which can then be the start of their addiction. To avoid this, bill 7637 also has provisions regarding the proper disposal of unused drugs.
Prevention
Abuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem in many fast-growing cities these days. Some are too complacent; they think – “How can I ever get addicted to a drug that’s prescribed by my doctor?” Well, it could happen, and it does. The “I-STOP” bill might help in controlling the problem. But its success also depends on each person. It’s also important for individuals to have the willpower to say “no” and to be aware of the severe detrimental effects of substance abuse.
