Congressional Testimony

Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Specter, and distinguished Members of the Judiciary
Committee, on behalf of the men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration, I want to
thank you for the opportunity to discuss the problem of prescription drug abuse, and in
particular, the illegal distribution of controlled substance pharmaceuticals via the Internet.
Non-medical use of addictive prescription drugs has been increasing throughout the
United States at alarming rates. In 2005, an estimated 6.4 million Americans age 12 and older
reported past month use of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes.1 Of these, 4.7 million
used pain relievers non-medically. Nationally, the misuse of prescription drugs was second only
to marijuana in CY 2005.

Part of this increase in abuse is fueled by the perception among many that prescription
drugs are relatively safe when compared to what some might consider more conventional
“street” drugs such as heroin or cocaine. There is relatively little stigma associated with
prescription drugs. Because they are manufactured for a legitimate medical purpose, many take
these drugs without the anxiety of thinking they will be ostracized for their habit.
Perhaps even more alarming is the false sense of security associated with the abuse of
these substances. Many feel as though if a doctor can prescribe it, the drug can’t be as harmful
to your health. According to the 2005 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, 40% believe that
prescription medicines are “much safer” to use than illegal drugs.2 Furthermore, the same study
concluded that 31% believe there’s “nothing wrong” with using prescription medicines without a
prescription “once in awhile.” The truth of the matter is, these controlled substances are not just
highly dangerous, but they can prove lethal.

This study also found that teens believe a key reason for abusing prescription pain
relievers is their widespread availability and easy access. This ease of access, which teens
indicate is provided by parent’s medicine cabinets, friend’s prescriptions, and by the Internet, coupled with the lack of medical supervision and lack of quality control associated with illegal
pharmacies, is a dangerous combination which has led to tragic consequences.

Prescription drugs can be illegally acquired through a variety of means, depending on the
type of drug. While DEA and other law enforcement investigations have shown that
OxyContin® and other schedule II drugs are most commonly obtained illegally through “doctor
shopping” or other, more traditional methods of illegally acquiring controlled pharmaceutical
substances, this has not been the case for schedule III or schedule IV substances. Schedule III
and schedule IV drugs3 (e.g., anti-anxiety medications, hydrocodone combination products, and
anabolic steroids), on the other hand, are increasingly accessible and often illegally purchased
through the Internet. And unlike someone stealing a few pills out of the medicine cabinet from
someone else’s prescription, large, high-potency sales of 100 or more pills occur hundreds of
times everyday over the Internet.

Adverstisement

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