Federal lawmakers urge DEA to close pill mills in Ohio

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown recently announced that he is pushing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to shut down "pill mills" and combat prescription drug abuse throughout the state of Ohio, The State Column reports.

Officials define pill mills as doctors, pharmacies or pain clinics that prescribe and dispense prescription drugs for non-medical reasons or personal financial gain.

“I urge the DEA to redouble its efforts in Ohio to shut down illegal ‘pill mills.’ The cost of allowing these illegal operations to continue is simply too high; it perpetuates addiction, fosters drug dealing, and most tragically, leads to overdose deaths," Brown told the news source.

Moreover, an increased supply of prescription drugs could make it easier for children to obtain powerful narcotics. As a result, teens can become addicted to painkillers such a Vicodin and Oxycontin. However, boarding schools encourage kids to abstain from using painkillers because of the negative impact it can have on their developing bodies.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, prescription medication accounted for six of the top 10 illicit drugs used by high school seniors in 2008.