General Sessions

Prescription drug abuse is the nation’s fastest-growing drug problem and has been classified as an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more about this public health threat and comprehensive, government-wide actions being taken by the Administration to reduce prescription drug abuse.

Many problems associated with drug abuse are the result of legitimately made controlled substances being diverted from their lawful purpose into illicit drug traffic. Learn how the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control is working to prevent, detect and investigate the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals and listed chemicals while still ensuring an adequate and uninterrupted supply for legitimate medical, commercial and scientific needs.

Preventing Drug Abuse
As “America’s Doctor,” Dr. Benjamin provides Americans the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce the risk of illness and injury. A part of her National Prevention Strategy focuses on the substance abuse. Dr. Benjamin will share her insights on Preventing Drug Abuse during this keynote presentation.

Learning Objectives
1. Define the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in youth.
2. Identify how the National Prevention Strategy can be used to support efforts to prevent prescription drug abuse.
3. Identify opportunities for collaborative partnerships to prevent prescription drug abuse.

• Melanda Adams
Melanda Adams had lost all hope. OxyContin and methamphetamine had cast her into a darkness from which she saw no escape. Then came a “knock on the door” from law enforcement officers. Adams grasped this opportunity. Now 28 years old, Adams owns her own business and is helping others as Co-Chair of the “Clay Countians UNITED” anti-drug coalition.

• Ginger Katz
After her 20-year-old son, Ian, died from a drug overdose, Ginger Katz was inspired to do what she could to prevent another tragedy. A nationally recognized figure in the world of youth drug prevention education, she founded and heads The Courage to Speak® Foundation, reaching hundreds of thousands of children through award-winning programs and educating adults on how to communicate effectively with children about the dangers of drugs.

• Larry Jeffrey
Larry Jeffrey was prescribed powerful pain killers after being injured while working as a field technician in West Virginia’s coal mining industry. A need to stay competitive and employed led him to continue using the drugs. When he was injured a second time, higher doses of medication were prescribed. His addiction was sealed. Now, a year after starting treatment, Jeffrey is doing well in a transitional housing program operated by Prestera.

• Jan Mosley
It’s not easy accepting that your child has an addiction. Jan Mosley will tell you the recovery process can be just as difficult. “You feel good and it’s all taken away because of relapse,” Mosley said, referring to her 29-year-old son Aaron’s “peaks and valleys” since his initial trip to rehab for an Oxycontin addiction. The nurse educator will take you through her family’s struggles and emphasize the importance of being supportive throughout the process.

It’s Not What The Doctor Ordered
NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. Dr. Volkow’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain. As a research psychiatrist and scientist, she has pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects of drugs and their addictive properties. Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system affecting the actions of frontal brain regions involved with motivation, drive and pleasure, and the decline of brain dopamine function with age.

Learning Objectives
1. Identify recent increasing trends in the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs as well as the growing number of opioid and stimulant prescriptions being dispensed by retail pharmacies in the US.
2. Describe the ways in which the most commonly abused prescription drug classes affect the brain and body and the possible deleterious consequences that can result from such use and abuse.
3. Explain strategies being developed and implemented that will increase awareness of the growing problem, and research aimed at identifying tools and interventions to most effectively prevent and treat prescription drug abuse.

Current Trends and Recommendations
Prescription drug abuse and overdoses have a tremendous impact on public health. Information on the current trends in prescription drug abuse and overdose, highlighting populations at greatest risk, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s public health recommendations to address the prescription drug overdose epidemic will be presented.

A National Awakening
Rep. Bono Mack is a national leader in the fight against prescription drug abuse – the fastest growing drug problem in America. As Chairman of the U.S. House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, with jurisdiction over consumer protection, she has made combating prescription drug abuse a top priority. She believes there needs to be a national awakening about the threat this alarming epideic poses to families and communities across the nation.

A Conversation About the Realities of Rx Drug Abuse
Join us Wednesday evening as Steve Pasierb Challenges Congressman Rogers on the realities of Rx drug abuse. Congressman Rogers has been a leader in the fight to curb this growing epidemic during his tenure in Congress. He was one of the first national leaders to call out unscrupulous companies that benefited by putting “profits over people.”

This conversation will explore Congressman Rogers’ thoughts on what it will take to curb this epidemic, who can do more, what resources federal, state and local governments can bring to bear, and more. Congressman Rogers is known for his direct approach to solving problems and answering questions. So make sure you bring your questions for Mr. Pasierb and Congressman Rogers as they challenge and inspire us during this conversation.

Shutting Down “Pill Mills”
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will discuss the pill mill epidemic in Florida, which was once dubbed the pill mill capital of the nation. She will share the tough new laws and administrative penalties that have helped shut down pill mills in Florida, and what is next on the horizon in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

This forum will include presentations from each of the Congressional members regarding what is occurring in Washington that can make a positive impact on curbing prescription drug abuse. Currently there are three bills that have been introduced by members of the Caucus related to prescription drug abuse: HR 1065, the Pill Mill Crackdown Act; HR 1925, the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; and HR 2110, the Ryan Creedon Act.

Following these presentations there will be a question-and-answer session to hear concerns and comments from those impacting the issue on the front lines.

Learning Objectives:
1. Define the purpose of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse.
2. Explain three bills filed in the U.S. House of Representatives to address the prescription drug abuse issue.
3. Express opportunities for stakeholders to impact legislative policies and laws.