The lawmakers say that pill bottles containing opioids are too easy to open, thus making them easier to steal. It is likely, however, that opiate pills are sold voluntarily far more often than they are stolen.
The Pilfering Prevention Act, introduced by Senator Richard Briggs and Representative Matthew Hill, would make the new combination lock pill bottles mandatory in the state of Tennessee.
Similar efforts have been made to mandate combination lock pill bottles in other U.S. states including Michigan, Colorado and Maryland, but the legislation has failed. Lawmakers who voted against the bill cited cost, with the new bottles adding an estimated $5 onto an average prescription. The overall sentiment is that this will prevent teens from getting their hands on their parent’s opiates since most addictions begin in adolescence.
However, this attitude overlooks the fact that opiates are extremely easy to source, even for children. This policy is putting a band-aid on a larger problem that politicians are refusing to address...read more>>>...
