WASHINGTON (February 23, 2011)—Today, Congressman Ben Chandler joined various stakeholders to discuss Kentucky’s drug problem with R. Gil Kerlikowske, White House Director of National Drug Control Policy.  During the roundtable at the University of Kentucky, Chandler applauded the law enforcement officers, educators, and lawmakers of different parties for coming together to fight pill abuse.

“I am so glad Director Kerlikowske came to Kentucky and sparked this conversation, it was one we desperately needed to have,” Chandler said. “We are facing a drug epidemic in Central Kentucky, and this isn’t a problem that local sheriffs, Chrysalis House, UK, KASPER, or even the federal government can fight on their own. We all have to work together on all levels from local, to state, to federal to fight this epidemic. Today was a big first step.”

At the roundtable held at the University of Kentucky this morning, Chandler focused his remarks on the KASPER system which he helped create in 1999.  KASPER, the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting system, is a prescription pill monitoring program that has been very successful in Kentucky.  Because of its success, the program was used as a national model for NASPER, the National All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting system. NASPER was signed into law in 2005, and never received full funding.

Chandler also focused on the importance of supporting the efforts of small counties and local law enforcement to fight prescription pill abuse.

“It is so important to have discussions like we had today with multiple groups and across party lines,” Chandler said. “But we also need to remember that our small communities are a critical part of that discussion.  Our small towns and counties are the ones on the front lines, and they carry much of the burden of this epidemic.”
 

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