WHEREAS, non-medical use of addictive prescription drugs ranks second (behind marijuana) as a category of illicit drug use in the United States (SAMHSA, 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health); and

WHEREAS, almost 30 million individuals aged 12 or older have used prescription pain relievers non-medically at least once in their lifetime (SAMHSA, 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health); and

WHEREAS, 13.2 percent of 12th graders indicated they used pharmaceutical narcotics illegally during their lifetimes (Monitoring the Future, Lifetime Drug Use for Prescription Drugs, 2003); and

WHEREAS, emergency room visits resulting from the abuse of narcotic pain relievers have increased 163 percent since 1995 (SAMHSA, 2002 Drug Abuse Warning Network); and

WHEREAS, drug threat assessment data for 2004 reveals that 72 percent of state and local law enforcement agencies reported high or moderate availability of pharmaceuticals (National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2004); and

WHEREAS, “rogue” Internet pharmacies have become a popular and accessible source of diverted prescription drugs; and

WHEREAS, current DEA registration of physicians and pharmacies does not identify those individuals and businesses engaged in internet practices; that names and addresses of individuals and business involved in internet dispensing are difficult to ascertain; that internet sites change web locations without notice; and that internet prescriptions are frequently issued based solely on an on-line questionnaire; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) supports federal internet pharmacy legislation to amend the Controlled Substances Act as follows: require separate registration by DEA of internet pharmacies and an identification of the names and addresses of the pharmacy and prescribing physicians; require notification to DEA of a change in an internet pharmacy’s web address at least 30 days in advance; redefine the term “valid prescription” to exclude prescriptions issued solely on the basis of an on-line questionnaire; define the terms “by means of the World Wide Web” in language consistent with the Communications Act of 1934; clarify that violation of the Act is a criminal offense and increase penalties to ten years; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP supports an amendment to Title 21, United States Code, Section 881 to extend the definition of property to permit forfeiture of internet domain names and web-sites; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IACP endorses an enhancement to Title 21, United States Code, Section 959, to address the potential prosecution of foreign websites engaged in the unlawful importation of pharmaceuticals.