WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) coordinates federal drug control activities, including prevention, treatment and law enforcement. The Acting Director testified at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing yesterday, where specialists discussed a nationwide opioid epidemic, especially severe in Tennessee.

   Rep. Scott DesJarlais’ home state ranks second in the country in opioid prescriptions per capita. In 2015,  at least 1,451 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses, more than died in vehicle accidents. At the hearing, the Congressman, a former doctor, recounted his experience as a medical professional:  

Click to watch Rep. DesJarlais describe Tennessee’s opioid problem

    “As a former physician, I would make it a point to educate my patients on the power of these drugs. Also, I think there’s a responsibility among the patients to know it should be illegal to share these drugs... If one of the problems is over-prescribing, that needs to be stopped,” said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04).

    “Because of the scope of this problem, the time is right do that. Law enforcement should focus on people who share or sell these medications. The bottom line is, we have a huge number of people dying every year. It’s not time to think about what we should do, we should be doing it.”

    Last year, Rep. DesJarlais voted for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), a major reform of federal drug policy, which the President signed into law. Among other provisions, CARA created drug monitoring and prescription take-back programs, expanded access to emergency overdose medication, and mandated pain management alternatives at Veterans Administration hospitals. The law funded treatment for opioid-addicted newborns.

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