Fighting Military Suicide by Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse

Murkowski Fighting Military Suicide by Addressing Prescription Drug Abuse
Alaska Business Monthly

With Suicides Now Averaging One Every Eighteen Hours, Senator Co-Sponsors Legislation to Allow for Take-Back of Prescription Drugs

WASHINGTON, DC—Senator Lisa Murkowski joined a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues as an original co-sponsor of legislation aiming to address the issue of prescription drug abuse among our nation’s veterans, and as a way to stem the military’s suicide epidemic.

The Servicemembers and Veterans Prescription Drug Safety Act would open up a drug “take-back” program through the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs similar to that available to millions of Americans through the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

The DEA currently authorizes retail pharmacies to collect controlled substances through civilian drug-take back programs for safe disposal. Thus far, the DEA has failed to work with the DoD and VA to provide our nation’s servicemembers and veterans with reasonable access to appropriate mechanisms for the safe return and disposal of prescription medications.
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