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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Statement by Governor Beshear
FRANKFORT, Ky.– “This morning I testified at a Congressional hearing on the epidemic of prescription drug abuse that has hit Kentucky hard, despite our successful prescription drug monitoring program. A large part of our current problem is the illegal prescription drug pipeline from Florida, which does not have such a monitoring system. In October 2009, during the state’s largest drug bust, Kentucky law enforcement officials arrested more than 500 people in connection with diverting prescription drugs, all of whom had a Florida connection. Therefore, I have been urging Florida Governor Rick Scott, both in personal conversation and by letter, to implement such a system in Florida. Others, including Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers and Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo, have been doing the same. Although Gov. Scott was initially against such a system because of privacy concerns, I am excited to announce that this morning Gov. Scott advised me privately and at the hearing that he was moving ahead with the implementation of a prescription drug monitoring system. This is great news for Kentucky and could save thousands of lives.”
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