Pubdate: Fri, 05 Apr 2002
Source: Kingsport Times-News (TN)
Copyright: 2002 Kingsport Publishing Corporation
Contact:  http://www.timesnews.net/index.cgi
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1437
Note:  Will not publish letters in print editions from online users who do 
not reside in print circulation area, unless they are former residents or 
have some current connection to Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.
Author: Mike Still
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?186 (Oxycontin)

WARNER SIGNS DRUG MONITORING, TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILLS

NORTON -- Two bills on the Southwest Virginia legislative delegation's 
agenda this year were signed into law by Gov. Mark Warner, allowing the 
start of a new illegal drug use countermeasure and opening up the 
telecommunications business to some local governments.

Warner on Thursday signed Senate Bill 425, patroned by Bristol Sen. William 
C. Wampler, R-40th District. The bill authorized creation of a pilot 
database program to track patient abuse of Schedule II controlled 
prescription medicines including painkillers such as OxyContin.

In a statement issued Thursday evening, Warner said OxyContin has been a 
"godsend" to chronic pain sufferers but a "dangerous scourge" of abuse in 
many parts of the state.

"This legislation addresses an important public safety and public health 
problem in a measured way," said Warner. "I look forward to working with 
our local communities, local law enforcement, and health care providers to 
end OxyContin abuse. This bill represents an important first step."

"This was a hard-fought victory for Southwest Virginia," Wampler said 
Friday. "You only have to look to Kentucky as to how effective their 
program has been and how the problem spread across to Lee County as a result."

The database - which still has to be funded from sources other than state 
general fund money - will require dispensers of controlled substances to 
report the following information each time a substance has been prescribed 
and filled:

.The recipient's name and address.

.The recipient's date of birth.

.The covered substance that was dispensed to the recipient.

.The quantity of the covered substance that was dispensed.

.The date the substance was dispensed.

.The prescriber's identifier number.

.The dispenser's identifier number.

Wampler said the pilot program - covering the Lenowisco, Cumberland Plateau 
and Mount Rogers planning district areas - does safeguard public privacy 
because it limits law enforcement agencies' and grand juries' use of the 
database to active criminal investigations and by oversight by the Virginia 
Department of Health Professions. Requesting agencies will not be allowed 
to view the database and must instead submit requests for information on 
specific persons under investigation.

"We have gone to an extreme in protecting patient confidentiality," said 
Wampler.

Warner also signed a bill patroned by Wampler and Delegate D.W. Marshall 
III, R-Danville, allowing localities with municipal electric utilities to 
become local exchange telecommunications providers within their service areas.

Another provision in the Wampler bill would allow municipalities to enter 
the communications service in cases of limited private competition in their 
service area.

"In an effort to speed deployment of high-speed communications 
infrastructure to underserved areas, this legislation gives local 
governments authority to provide affordable high-speed telecommunications 
services to residents," said Warner. "This is an important component of my 
efforts to expand economic opportunity in rural Virginia."

Wampler said the new law will help government and regional agencies move 
ahead with expanding broadband Internet access for business and residential 
use.

"There's no doubt in my mind that rural Virginia must have access to 
high-speed Internet and telecommunications service in today's economy," 
said Wampler. "What we deploy with this bill will cover that 'last mile' of 
fiber to serve businesses and households in Southwest Virginia."
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MAP posted-by: Jackl