CONCORD, N.H.—Though lawmakers have rejected the idea, Attorney General Kelly Ayotte is pushing for a central database to track commonly abused prescription drugs such as stimulants, painkillers and muscle relaxants.
With drug abuse deaths surpassing traffic accident deaths for the last two years, Ayotte is calling for a database so doctors and pharmacists could check whether someone has already obtained a prescription elsewhere. The goal is to stop people from hitting several doctors' offices with false symptoms in order to get drugs.
"It's a public health issue and a way that will allow pharmacists and physicians to get the information they need, so they are not over-prescribing," Ayotte told the Executive Council last week.
New Hampshire lawmakers have rejected several attempts to create such a database, citing privacy concerns. After studying the idea for more than a year, the Health and Human Services Committee recommended a bill for passage last year, but when it came to the House floor in January, the bill failed by three votes.
Libertarian Rep. Joel Winters spoke against the bill.
"How many New Hampshire people are going to end up with their names on a secret database? We don't know," he said.
Supporters said the names go into pharmacy databases anyway, and the names would be wiped out after three years.
New Hampshire is the only state in the region that does not keep a central database. In all, 35 states keep track.
Peter Thompson, coordinator of the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency, said the problem is clear at DWI checkpoints.
"We're finding increasing numbers of people intoxicated by drugs. Drugs are almost as big a factor as alcohol now," he said.
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Information from: New Hampshire Union Leader, http://www.unionleader.com
