WHEREAS, the availability of diverted pharmaceutical drugs is high and increasing, fueled by increases in both the number of illegal online pharmacies and commercial disbursements within the legitimate pharmaceutical distribution chain (National Drug Threat Assessment, 2007); and

WHEREAS, the nonmedical use of prescription drugs is now the second largest form of illicit drug abuse in the United States as measured by prevalence (National Drug Control Strategy, February 2007); and

WHEREAS, approximately 6.4 million people use controlled-substance prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes, with 4.7 million misusing pain relievers (National Drug Control Strategy, February 2007); and

WHEREAS, the nonmedical use of pain relievers among 18- to 25-year olds increased by 15 percent from 2002 to 2005 (National Drug Control Strategy, February 2007); and

WHEREAS, prescription drug abuse led all other drug categories in new initiates in 2004 and 2005 (National Drug Control Strategy, February 2007); and

WHEREAS, educating the public about emerging substance abuse problems is the most effective way to reduce illegal drug abuse and build local support for a community antidrug effort. Educating residents about substance abuse problems is best accomplished by chiefs of police and other law enforcement leaders (Community Briefings: A Prevention Tool for Communities, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America); now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police duly assembled at its 114th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, continues to strongly urge support and promotion of education and awareness programs designed to combat the growing prescription drug abuse problem in the United States.

Submitted by Narcotics & Dangerous Drugs Committee

NDD.028.a07