NACDS Backs Bill to Help Combat Community-Specific Drug Abuse Trends
4/26/2010
Emphasizes pharmacies' commitment to communities and families they serve
Alexandria, VA - In a letter sent to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) recently, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) announced its support for legislation that would help stop drug abuse problems in the communities where they begin, before these problems devastate even more lives in those and other communities. The forms of drug abuse targeted by the legislation include those related to prescription and non-prescription medications and methamphetamine, among others. “This bipartisan bill...builds upon the highly successful Drug Free Communities (DFC) program by providing critical funding to local communities to more effectively deal with emerging drug trends and local drug crises,” wrote NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “On behalf of our members, and the communities and families they serve, we are pleased to endorse your bill.” Chairman Leahy and Sen. Grassley, who also serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the bill, S. 3031, The Drug Free Communities Enhancement Act of 2010. The legislation would authorize the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to make grants to implement community-wide strategies that address emerging local drug issues or local drug crises. The text of S. 3031 describes its rationale, which in part is based on “historical evidence showing that emerging local drug issues and crises can be stopped or mitigated before they spread to other areas, if they are identified quickly and addressed in a comprehensive multi-sector manner.” In expressing NACDS' support for the legislation, Anderson said the “[NACDS] membership has long supported local and national efforts to prevent and reduce drug abuse.” “Within local communities, chain pharmacies are the face of neighborhood healthcare,” he wrote. “We applaud your leadership in helping the communities that we serve, and the millions of patients we care for, live healthier, safer lives by providing necessary funding to local anti-drug coalitions.” The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the legislation on April 15, 2010, clearing its way for placement on the Senate legislative calendar. The legislation would need to be passed in identical form by the Senate and by the House of Representatives for it to be presented to the President for potential enactment. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) represents 154 traditional drug stores, supermarkets, and mass merchants with pharmacies – from regional chains with four stores to national companies. NACDS members also include more than 900 pharmacy and front-end suppliers, and over 70 international members from 24 countries. Chains operate 37,000 pharmacies, and employ more than 2.5 million employees, including 118,000 full-time pharmacists. They fill more than 2.5 billion prescriptions annually, which is more than 72 percent of annual prescriptions in the United States. The total economic impact of all retail stores with pharmacies transcends their $815 billion in annual sales. Every $1 spent in these stores creates a ripple effect of $3.82 in other industries, for a total economic impact of $3.11 trillion, equal to 26 percent of GDP. For more information about NACDS, visit www.NACDS.org. TheRecruiter.com. Practice opportunities for physicians and surgeons. Careers in nursing, allied health, administration, sales & marketing and other healthcare specialties. www.CPRclassifieds.com. Practice opportunities for physicians, surgeons, dentists and nurses with Christian organizations. Back Link Pages: http://www.therecruiter.com/Employment/Links.asp
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