Following recent reports highlighting the rising misuse of prescription drugs by members of the Armed Forces, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) called on Department of Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Monday for information about how the Defense Department (DoD) plans to minimize such drug use.
“According to a March 2013 revised report from the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 11 percent of service members reported misusing prescription drugs, up from two percent in 2002 and four percent in 2005,” Walorski said in a letter to Carter. “Prescriptions for opioids written by military physicians quadrupled between 2001 and 2009. Beyond the immediate health concerns of our service members and their families, drug addiction and abuse also presents a significant readiness challenge for the total force. Therefore, I would like to see your Department serve as a model of how to be part of the solution to America’s drug abuse epidemic.”
While drug abuse is lower in the Armed Forces than in the civilian population, Walorski said many service members and their family members still struggle with prescription opioid pain medication addiction.
“As you likely know, the Food and Drug Administration recently issued guidance urging companies to develop abuse-deterrent opioids and the Obama Administration launched a major initiative to address drug abuse in October,” Walorski said. “Because drug abuse is becoming more widespread, I would like to know how the Department of Defense plans to stay ahead of these issues and minimize the impact of drug abuse in the lives of service members and their families.”
Walorski’s letter asks for insight into how the DoD is addressing drug abuse, as well as what safeguards are in place to address the over-prescription of opioids and how the DoD can stop such medication from being abused.