Proposed Bill Could Separate Data and Penalties for Methadone, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone
Soon it may be a swifter and more precise road in Oregon toward helping prosecutors and officials collect data on the top three most widely abused prescription painkillers: methadone, oxycodone and hydrocodone. In early June the Senate Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 2174, which will establish individual statutes for the prescription medications, a change that has already been put into place for heroin, ecstasy and cocaine.
It's the separation of the statutes toward the drugs that will help law enforcement officials better manage the trafficking and use of prescription medications illegally, according to an article on Oregon's Lund Report. Prior to House Bill 2174, the laws surrounding the possession or manufacturing of the medications, and associated punishments, were part of one statute.
Precise data for each type of drug will be available if House Bill 2174 is established, including how many arrests have been linked to a drug and information related to drug manufacturing near schools. Part of the data will be used in cooperation with medical examiners to learn more about fatalities and overdoses associated with the drugs.
The increased precision of the drug-related data, says Mark McDonnell, Multnomah County district attorney, means everyone has a better understanding of drug activity at the street level.
Not only will the data be valuable to prosecutors, McDonnell says it could help provide the information to create new treatment and prevention strategies toward oxycodone, methadone and hydrocodone, saving more lives lost to addiction. He also hopes the bill will be part of overall efforts to increase awareness about how dangerous prescription drugs are when stored at home.