HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 142

(By Delegates Marcum, Azinger, Barill, Barrett, Boggs, Campbell, Eldridge, Ellington, Evans, A., Fleischauer, Frich, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hartman, Kump, Lawrence, Lynch, O'Neal, Paxton, Perdue, Perry, Phillips, L., Phillips, R., Pino, Poore, Reynolds, Romine, Rowan, Smith, P., Sobonya, Sponaugle, Stowers, Tomblin, Walker, Wells, Westfall, White and Young)

Expressing support of the West Virginia Legislature urging Congress to swiftly take bipartisan, concrete action to address the growing scourge of prescription drug abuse in West Virginia and other states.

    Whereas, Abuse of prescription drugs is the fastest growing segment of the nation’s unlawful drug use; and

    Whereas, West Virginia is consistently among the states with the highest rate of drug overdose deaths; and

    Whereas, The majority of drug overdose deaths in West Virginia result from overdose of prescription drugs; and

    Whereas, Nationally, prescription drugs account for more illegal drug use than cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin combined; and

    Whereas, Prescription drug overdose has become the nation’s leading cause of accidental death; and

    Whereas, The high profits reaped from the illegal drug trade have attracted increasing numbers of unscrupulous doctors and increasingly violent drug traffic offenders; and

    Whereas, The magnitude of the illegal drug trade in West Virginia and other states is overwhelming available drug enforcement and drug treatment resources; and

    Whereas, Sheriff Eugene Crum of Mingo County, West Virginia, who had successfully focused efforts on eradicating unlawful drug traffic and use in his county, and who had received numerous threats because of his drug enforcement efforts, was fatally shot April 3, 2013 as he sat in his cruiser eating lunch near the county courthouse; and

    Whereas, West Virginia and other states lack adequate treatment facilities to help stem the demand for illegal drugs; and

    Whereas, The abuse of drugs results in enormous economic and human costs to individuals, families, businesses and governments, often expressed in murders, assaults, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, child abuse, child neglect, elder abuse, drunk driving accidents and overdose deaths; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia: 

    That the West Virginia Legislature hereby strongly urges the United States Congress to swiftly take bipartisan, concrete action to address the growing scourge of prescription drug abuse in West Virginia and other states; and, be it

    Further resolved: That the West Virginia Legislature strongly urges Congress to recognize and respect the level of sacrifices made by Sheriff Eugene Crum of Mingo County, West Virginia, and other law-enforcement officials throughout the nation who have stood in the front ranks of those attacking the “pill mills” and other prescription drug traffic offenders, and respond with commensurate support; and, be it

    Further resolved: That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of West Virginia's congressional delegation.