CHARLESTON, WV – Senate Majority Whip Richard Browning (D-Wyoming) announced today that he fully supports the Advisory Council on Substance Abuse Report recommendations.

Senator Browning says the report quantifies some of the information about the prescription drug problem already discovered, but also presents new information that needs addressed in order to completely eradicate the problem statewide.

"We have to recognize that substance abuse is a societal problem and not turn our backs on it any longer,” says Browning. “This is not a problem that is isolated to only one segment of our society. It cuts across all layers and affects all of us.”

Governor Tomblin issued an executive order in September 2011 creating the Governor’s Advisory Council on Substance Abuse and appointed its members. Since that time, the Task Force met three times in each of the state’s six regions.

“I believe the report is on target with what I asked Governor Tomblin to do in my original request in April,” says Browning. “I commend him for his diligence and understanding of the problem; however, I am anxious to see what legislation is proposed in order to implement the recommendations of the report.”

The Task Force will meet three more times between January and April.