Don't be a Party to Drunk Driving this St. Patty's Day

For many Americans, St. Patrick's Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large number of drunk drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.

On St. Patrick’s Day 2009, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Additional NHTSA statistics show that in 2009, there were 103 crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day. Out of that number, 47 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

Meth Bill Rejected

Legislation requiring a prescription for most cold medicines was rejected by a tie vote in the West Virginia Senate on Thursday, and the four senators representing the Northern Panhandle also split their vote.

The bill was intended to curb the use of ephedrine in the production of the illegal drug crystal meth and would require a doctor's prescription for many current over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines. It was rejected by a vote of 16-16 in the 34-member Senate.

Not voting were acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, also the senate president, and Sen. Walt Helmick, D-Pocahontas.

Local senators voting in favor were acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, and Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel. Both said earlier this week they believed the bill would help curb a growing methamphetamine problem in West Virginia and that many cold and allergy medicines still would be available over the counter under the restriction.

Voting in opposition were Sens. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, and Jack Yost, D-Brooke.

"I had heartburn with that bill from day one - from the moment I saw it took a prescription," Yost said. "I know for a fact we have so many folks in the Northern Panhandle without health care, and they don't have a doctor. For them to get a prescription for a cold medicine is very expensive, and something they don't need.

"It hurts our seniors and those on fixed incomes," he added. "I couldn't support it. It put an extra burden on the poorest people."

The bill was supported by the West Virginia State Troopers Association, and members of the group sat together in uniform in the south gallery of the Senate for the vote, according to Yost. He said it was an intimidating sight for lawmakers.

Klempa, meanwhile, said he attended all public hearings on the bill and "heard all the comments." He also acknowledged the bill's sponsor, Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, is a medical doctor and made good arguments that the bill would help curb West Virginia's meth problem.

Klempa said he voted for the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to bring it to a vote before the whole Senate, but he told Foster he couldn't support it on the floor.

"I got at least 50 phone calls and over 100 e-mails on the issue - and not one was in favor of the legislation," Klempa said. "It boils down to the border counties and that there are no regulations like that in Pennsylvania or Ohio. It's a commerce thing. People would go across the border to get what they wanted rather than pay $25 to $50 to a doctor for a prescription. And while they were there they would do other shopping.

"No matter what my own feelings were, the people I represent were overwhelmingly against the bill and I delivered their words to the Senate this morning," Klempa added.

Kessler, Edgell Back Cold Medicine Bill

At least two local senators will support a bill before the West Virginia Legislature requiring prescriptions for most popular cold medicines.

Acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, and Sen. Larry Edgell, D-Wetzel, said they are leaning toward a "yes" vote on the measure. Sens. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, and Jack Yost, D-Brooke, could not be reached for comment Monday.

House Bill 2946 was debated in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. It requires a lawful prescription for dispensing drug products containing as an active ingredient ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine and other chemical precursors of methamphetamine - ingredients found in many popular cold and allergy medications.

The bill is intended to curb the use of ephedrine products in the production of the illegal drug crystal meth.

"I am extremely impressed by the success it has had in Oregon and in other states with meth problems," Kessler said.

He cited that before similar legislation was passed in Oregon, that state had 473 meth lab busts in 2003. That number has now decreased to a low of 13 in 2010, according to Kessler.

He also noted 44 meth labs were raided by police in the Charleston area last month.

"Over the course of the year, that amounts to a crisis of epidemic proportion," Kessler said.

Kessler also pointed out that not all cold and allergy medications would be subject to the law, and that consumers still could choose from about 150 other medications that would remain on the shelves.

The legislation also would permit physicians' assistants and nurses to call in prescriptions for newly regulated medications, eliminating the need for and cost of a doctor's visit.

"It's not too much to ask," Kessler said of taking the medications off the shelf. "An array of 150 drugs would be available. And if you would need something stronger, you can call the doctor's office to call it in for you. This bill won't deny access to the drugs but would deny excess to those walking out of stores with large quantities."

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New nationwide study indicates alcohol and marijuana were the most commonly abused substances by those referred to treatment from probation or parole

The criminal justice system is single largest source of referral to substance abuse treatment

A new study shows that the most commonly abused substances among those 18 and older referred to substance abuse treatment from parole or probation was alcohol, followed by marijuana and methamphetamines. The study, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), also shows that more than half (59.2 percent) of those who entered substance abuse treatment based on referrals from probation or parole reported using more than one substance at admission.

In 2008, 42.8 percent of the admissions 18 or older that were referred to treatment by the criminal justice system, were probation or parole referrals making the probation and parole system the largest source of criminal justice referrals to substance abuse treatment. Among the study’s more notable findings concerning treatment admissions in 2008 involving adults on probation or parole:

· The most common substances being abused were alcohol (30.6 percent), marijuana (26.4 percent), and methamphetamines (15.6 percent).

· The majority of admissions were male (76.6 percent), had never married (63.1 percent), were between the ages of 18 and 44 (81.3 percent), and were non-Hispanic White (52.3 percent).

· Over one-third had less than a high school education (39.6 percent).

· The majority were unemployed (36.8 percent) or not in the labor force (26.2 percent). (Unemployed describes persons who do not have a job, are layed off and who have looked for work in the past 30 days. Not in the labor force describes persons who do not have a job and who are not looking for work due to retirement, disability, going to school, taking care of the home/children, being in an institution, etc.)

· The majority had been in treatment at least once before (57.5 percent), and 18.4 percent reported three or more prior treatment episodes.

For more information on this study, please visit www.samhsa.gov.