Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 27, 2016

Opioid abuse has ravaged the country in recent years. In 2015, a staggering 19 million people are estimated to have misused prescription medicines. Most obtained them from friends or relatives. And many of those who misused the drugs were first-time users. In response to that epidemic, Walgreens kicked off its Safe Medication Disposal Program last April […]

Scott PowersFebruary 25, 2016

U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson is pushing for over-the-counter availability of Naloxone, a nasal inhalant drug used to treat people who have overdosed on heroin or opioids. The Orlando Democrat, who is running for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat, announced Thursday he has sent a letter to Dr. Stephen Ostroff of the Food and Drug Administration asking […]

Guest AuthorMay 11, 2015

Florida lawmakers passed a life-saving measure which now heads to Gov. Rick Scott for his signature. The newly passed legislation will drastically diminish a tragic and far-too-common occurrence – death resulting from a drug overdose. This public health crisis has, up until now, burdened the citizens and communities of Florida. My organization, Shatterproof, would like […]

Guest AuthorApril 24, 2015

Legislation being debated in Tallahassee — SB 728 — will raise costs for the state’s employers, consumers and public programs, while offering no clinical benefit to patients. In an effort to lower prescription drug abuse, the bill forces health plans to cover the most expensive brand name opioids even when more affordable generics are available. […]

Guest AuthorApril 2, 2015

The prescription drug program Florida legislators created in 2009 to monitor controlled substances has helped reduce the number of Floridians who suffer from prescription drug addiction. Medications provide great benefit to patients when used correctly and under the guidance of their treating physician. Some opiod drugs are now being crushed into powder or injected and […]

Tag: opioids
Eddie Speir. Photo by Jacob Ogles.

With legislators on hand, Walgreens unveils Florida drug disposal kiosks

Alan Grayson pushes for over-the-counter sales of heroin/opioid overdose medicine Naloxone

Gary Mendell: Life-saving measure passes Florida Legislature to combat drug overdoses

Mark Merritt: Legislation would raise costs, fail to reduce prescription drug abuse

Sandi Frear: Why abuse-deterring opioids should be legislative priority