CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller and Congressman Nick Rahall have reintroduced bills to fight prescription drug abuse.
The West Virginia Democrats announced Thursday the legislation would establish new training requirements before health care professionals can be licensed to prescribe prescription drugs. It also would promote physician and patient education, create a uniform reporting system for painkiller-related deaths, and increase funding for state drug monitoring programs.
Rockefeller says prescription drug abuse or misuse is responsible for nine out of 10 drug-related deaths in the state.
Sen. Joe Manchin is a co-sponsor of Rockefeller's Senate bill. A similar bill introduced in 2011 never came up for a vote in the Senate.
