New Fla. governor's budget strategy would nip in the bud a system to track painkiller prescriptions

Last month we reported that the prescription pill pipeline between Florida and Central Appalachia had not been closed despite a new Florida law to tighten controls on the drugs. One concern raised in that story was the uncertain funding of the Florida program. Those concerns appear to have been validated. Much to the chagrin of Kentucky lawmakers, new Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott proposed eliminating the program as part of his budget proposal, Bill Estep of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports. "I'm infuriated," Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo told Estep. He said ending the Florida program was like "setting up billboards across the country saying, 'Come to Florida and get your drugs'."

"Everyone up here, law enforcement, feels like we've been kicked in the teeth," said Frank Rapier, director of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, based in London. "To take a step back like this is incredible." The proposal would need to be approved by the state legislature, where state Sen. Mike Fasano, who sponsored the bill that created the tracking program, said he would fight it.

Scott's office didn't not respond to the Herald-Leader's request for comment. A "spokesman for Scott had been quoted saying Scott didn't think it was appropriate for the government to be involved in the monitoring program," Estep reports. "Florida is facing a steep budget shortfall, but the monitoring system, set up mostly with federal money, would cost only $500,000 a year to run, said Bruce Grant, former head of Florida's Office of Drug Control," Estep writes.  (Read more)