New Florida Law to Reduce Our State’s Reputation as Pill Mill

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 13, 2011

In a move that Orlando personal injury attorney James O. Cunningham fully supports, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a law recently that will make it more difficult for doctors to write prescriptions for painkillers. For years, Florida has been known as a “pill mill,” a place where it has been easy for people to get prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin, Oxycodone and other pharmaceuticals that often lead to drug abuse. The ease with which people could obtain these drugs in our state caused people from nearby states with more restrictive access to these drugs to come here for prescriptions.

However, the new law discourages this practice by creating a state-wide database to track sales of some prescription drugs and no longer allowing physicians to prescribe and dispense painkillers from their offices.

Governor Scott hailed the new law as a big step forward in changing our state’s reputation and making it harder for abusers and traffickers to obtain some of the most sought after prescription medications. In a recent statement, the Governor said, “This legislation will save lives in our state, and it marks the beginning of the end of Florida’s infamous role as the nation’s pill mill capital.”

To illustrate the scope of our state’s prescription drug problem, consider that Florida doctors bought 41.3 million doses of Oxycodone in the first half of 2010. This astonishing figure is more than nine times more doses than were sold in all other states in the country combined over that same period of time. This drug is also sold under other names such as Oxycontin, Percodan and Percocet. The new law prohibits pharmaceutical corporations as well as state agencies from providing funding for the tracking system and database management and also includes penalties for intentionally disclosing patient data. Funding for the program is expected through grants from federal and private sources.

James O. Cunningham and other Orlando personal injury lawyers have been urging state lawmakers to tighten access to prescription drugs for years. Abuse of these controlled substances claims the lives of addicts as well as the lives of innocent people killed by drivers operating their vehicles while under the influence of these and other drugs. Have you or a close family member been injured by someone under the influence of prescription medication? If so, you may be entitled to damages from the at-fault party and the person who issued the prescription. For more information, contact the Law Offices of James O. Cunningham today by calling 888-425-2004 or 407-425-2000 today.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.