Agricultural News
State Senator Mike Schulz to Offer Amendment on HB3202 to Tighten Drug Handling by Equine Dentists
Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:55:52 CDT
State Senator Mike Schulz of southwestern Oklahoma is the lead author in the Oklahoma State Senate for SB1999 and now HB3202, measures that would establish the right of horse owners to use equine dentists or teeth floaters to work on the teeth of their horses. These teeth floaters would become legal under the Oklahoma statute and would be licensed by the State Vet Medical Board. The measure would also include other animal husbandry practices.
The House has passed HB3202, and this same measure has cleared the Senate Ag Committee by a 10 to nothing vote. Senator Schulz acknowledges that opponents to the bill are raising their voices over possibility that dangerous drugs might get out into the hands of the public under this measure, so he plans on offering an amendment on the floor of the Senate that would add a prohibition of the use of any "controlled dangerous substances" by equine dentists. If that amendment is attached to the measure and it passes the Senate, it will have to return to the Oklahoma House for that amendment to be accepted by House members as well.
A great deal of controversy on this measure surfaced this week as four Veterinarians bought a full page ad in the Oklahoma City statewide newspaper calling this measure a drug bill that will allow almost anyone to be able to go out and get dangerous drugs. However, the bill's language seems to be pretty clear on how drugs are controlled in who can have them- it says "If prescription drugs are to be used in nonveterinary equine dental care procedures, the equine owner shall contact a veterinarian licensed by the state. If the veterinarian deems that prescription drugs are necessary, the veterinarian may assemble the prescription drugs and may allow the owner or the owner's agent, who can be a nonveterinary equine dental care provider, to pick up the prescription drugs and deliver them to the equine owner. No prescription drugs shall be prescribed, dispensed, or administered without the establishment of a valid client-patient relationship between the equine owner and the veterinarian. Prescription drugs must be used in accordance with United States Food and Drug Administration regulations."
Senator Schulz believes that this measure could come up, perhaps even before the end of this week on the Senate floor- and he feels good about getting the measure passed. Our conversation from Tuesday morning can be heard here as you can click on the Listen Bar at the bottom of this page.
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