SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON WEDNESDAY CONDUCTED THE FIRST OF TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH SO CALLED PILL MILLS IN THE COUNTY. COMMISSIONERS WILL SOON LOOK INTO WHETHER RECENTLY PASSED STATE LEGISLATION REGULATING PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS WILL BE SUFFICIENT, OR THEY MAY DECIDE TO CREATE NEW ZONING LAWS MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINICS TO OPEN HERE. SEVERAL DOCTORS AND NURSES TOLD COMMISSIONERS WEDNESDAY THAT MOST CLINICS HERE ARE LEGITIMATE, AND CHANGING THE LAWS WOULD HURT A BIG PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT LIVES HERE. LAST WEEK, STATE LAWMAKERS PASSED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PLACE STRICT REGULATIONS ON PHARMACIES DISPENSING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND ON THE DOCTORS PRESCRIBING THEM. GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THE BILL INTO LAW. NO COMMISSIONER SPOKE IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSED ZONING CHANGES, AND A VOTE WON’T HAPPEN UNTIL A SECOND PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD JUNE 7TH.
