This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Regarding the article "Lawmaker aims to cut OD deaths in Utah" Dec. 2, I take exception to the bill sponsored by Carol Spackman Moss. Although her heart is in the right place in regard to helping people who overdose, a major problem is the doctors who give these prescriptions to patients who can then use them for their drug addictions and lead to their deaths by overdosing.

It is the doctors who write hundreds of prescriptions a day to feed the habits of these drug dependent people that need to be stopped.

Let's investigate and prosecute the few doctors who write these prescriptions. We have data banks that easily identify them and a little pressure from the state would greatly modify their practice patterns. Eliminate the source and you eliminate some ofthe problem. If the source for drugs was dry the rate of ODs would drop dramatically.

Maureen Booth

Salt Lake City