LOUISVILLE, KY (WDRB) -- Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway says the prescription pipeline to Florida is closing, but he wants to cap it off in the Commonwealth with tighter regulation.
"We have a problem. We have an addiction that is starting in the home," said Conway to a room full of people impacted by prescription drug abuse. He vowed to get tough on a state that looses more people each year to prescription drug abuse than fatal car crashes.
The conference marked the first appearance by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, highlighting the prescription pipeline between the two states. "60% [of painkillers] that came into Kentucky or rather on the streets illegally were coming from Florida," said Conway.
Just a year on the job, and Bondi has already found a way to stifle prescription drug trafficking in Florida by crippling pain clinics, reducing the number from 943 to 518. "We worked with federal authorities to get the best legislation we could possibly pass to protect our children," said Bondi.
Both Bondi and Conway agree Florida's legislation is closing in on the pipeline. "When General Conway calls me and says we've just arrested someone and all their drugs came from Florida, that's who we're going to target and go after that person next," said Bondi.
It's prompted Conway to draft a legislative proposal calling for closer monitoring and tighter registration for doctors who prescribe painkillers. "I am 100% confident that we don't need entrepreneurs in the pill mill business. I am 100% confident that law enforcement has to have more access to data."
Conway says while the partnership with Florida is positive, he still worries about staying a step ahead of criminals. "My fear is that we have eight or nine states that really aren't on board with prescription monitoring so what Florida was doing, we see move to Georgia, Missouri, or Arkansas," said the attorney general.
Conway plans to introduce his tough prescription policy to state lawmakers next week.
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