WASHINGTON — President Bush on Saturday urged Congress to pass legislation aimed at ending illegal sales of highly addictive prescription drugs on the Internet, citing a growing number of fatal overdoses.
Bush used his weekly radio address to highlight his administration’s 2008 national drug- control strategy, which the White House released Saturday. The strategy seeks a 10 percent cut in youth drug use with continued interdiction efforts such as random student drug testing, community outreach, and screening and prevention at doctors’ offices.
The president said that while an estimated 860,000 fewer young people are using drugs today than in 2001, the abuse of prescription drugs persists.
“Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be, and in recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased,” Bush said.
The White House released the address Saturday while Bush spent the weekend at his Texas ranch.
A measure passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee last September seeks to stem the abuse of prescription drugs via the Internet. It requires that doctor meet with patients in person before prescribing medication and stiffens penalties for those who violate the rules. The bill awaits full Senate consideration.
