Q the Eye/08.05.12

Dear LakeCountyEye,

I got a headache that could drop a bull elephant with titanium tusks. Just between us infallible political commentators, do you got any oxy?

Limbo Lower Now

Dear Rush to Judgement,

Your LakeCountyEye could make a call and get you a sack of 20mg OxyFasts. But that would be wrong.

That's the opinion, at least, of Lake County's pro-business Congressman, Robert Dold, who is on the frontlines of the prescription drug epidemic. According to the Daily Herald, while OxyContin and Vicodin and other prescription drugs are too-readily available on the streets, Dold says ...

that minimizing the number of prescriptions being written for these drugs, and discouraging doctors from prescribing them for moderate pain, will help the situation.
Congressional group takes on prescription drug abuse

For the record, the pharmaceutical companies aggressively market their products, and get physicians to overprescribe with incentives like off-label use for their drugs. And to make sure these practices aren't scrutinized by the government, they lobby and contribute to pro-business Congressmen, like Robert Dold.

One recent townhall meeting for Dold, was hosted by Takeda Pharmaceuticals ...

U.S. Congressman Robert J. Dold (IL-10) spent the morning at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Deerfield touring the facility and holding a town hall meeting with employees. Dold visited the facility as part of his ongoing effort to listen to the job creators of the 10th District and take their ideas back to Washington.
Dold Holds Employee Town Hall at Takeda Pharmaceuticals

At another townhall, Dold was hosted by Astellas Pharma US ...

Earlier in the month, U.S. Congressman Robert J. Dold (IL-10) spent the morning at Astellas Pharma US, Inc. in Deerfield touring the facility and meeting with employees. Dold visited the facility as part of his Main Street Jobs Agenda and his ongoing effort to listen to hardworking people of the 10th District and take their ideas back to Washington.
Dold Holds Employee Town Hall at Astellas

But as cozy as he is with the big pharmaceutical companies, Dold is not taking the prescription drug epidemic lying down. He is a member of a government panel, the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse:

As sales of these drugs increase, so do the number of prescription drug-related deaths and people being admitted for substance abuse treatment. The bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, which includes 10th District U.S. Rep. Robert Dold, has been studying the issue, and last week made recommendations to the Food and Drug Administration on how to control the epidemic.
Congressional group takes on prescription drug abuse

Haha, repeat as directed by your doctor.

If you are an elected official, or a previously elected official, or just a private citizen under indictment, send your political questions to Q the Eye c/o ... LakeCountyEye@gMail.com