Stoddard County may adopt drug tracking program

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — The Stoddard County Commission discussed the recently approved county budget for 2017 and possibly implementing a prescription-drug monitoring program at a recent meeting.

Presiding Commissioner Greg Mathis said he had talked with Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield about the county implementing a prescription drug monitoring program.

Satterfield sees a lot of drug cases in his court. Mathis said prescription drugs are some of the most-abused in the nation and lead many to become heroin addicts.

He said the state legislature has failed to pass such a program, so it is up to the counties.

He said St. Louis County has adopted a program being copied by many other counties in the state.

He also said U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill has announced grant money will be available to counties to implement a prescription-drug monitoring program.

“Missouri is the only state without such a program,” Mathis said.

Pertinent address:

Bloomfield, Mo.