Law to curb drug usage in US

In a recent study it was found that about 50 million Americans have abused drugs sometimes in their life. Moreover, 7 million people abuse prescription drugs every year in America.  Oxycontin topped this list of abused prescription drugs.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was found as a result of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. FDA is responsible for regulating and supervising different kinds of drugs as well as foods. There are also various state narcotics acts and anti drug acts in USA.

Drugs like Oxycontin can be purchased if one has a prescription for these. So it is very common for addicts to get a prescription and produce it to different pharmacies to stock Oxycontin. To solve this problem, many states including California, New York & Idaho have started prescription monitoring programs.  Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and some other states have passed laws to curb Oxycontin abuse.

Some states have started fingerprinting the buyers of the drug to maintain a database. This database will help in quick monitoring and tracking of any person abusing Oxycontin.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is looking after the over-prescription of Oxycontin. The agency is monitoring the process for prescribing the drug. FDA also has joined hands with DEA to stop Oxycontin abuse.

Purdue Pharma, the producer of Oxycontin, is also working with these government agencies to control the illegal use of the drug. Apart from using a warning on the pack, they are also working to make a variety of the drug which will be difficult to abuse. They have distributed thousands of tamper-proof prescription pads to doctors of many states. This will prevent altering of prescriptions to buy drugs illegally. Moreover, Purdue Pharma recommends that pharmacists & doctors, who help addict in the drug abuse, should be arrested.