Tribune editorial staff

The latest war on drugs does not involve law enforcement and dealers - it is between the Food and Drug Administration and Canada.

The FDA has stated it is against Canadian pharmacies selling low-cost prescription drugs to seniors. The agency has said any city or state that tries to import drugs from Canada or other countries would likely be breaking federal law and would raise public health concerns.

While we agree consumers should take all precautions necessary when purchasing prescription medication, we question the motive of the FDA.

We import food and other items used for human consumption from other countries, and this same agency assures us we are safe from harm. Why would prescription drugs be any different? The FDA could make sure other nations importing drugs into America have recognized standards of drug handling.

In today's society, we are becoming more reliant on prescription drugs. Unfortunately, these medications are rapidly rising in cost, forcing some low-income families and senior citizens to the poor house. It may sound cliche, but more and more older Americans on Medicare and fixed incomes with no drug insurance coverage are forced to choose between medication or food.

Some seniors even take bus trips to Canada to get prescriptions filled. The fact is the same prescription drugs in Canada can cost less than half as much as they do in the United States.

We are not advocating taking our business to other countries, but we are urging lawmakers to find a way to lower the cost of prescription medication so we don't have to seek cheaper alternatives. We want to support our economy, but we don't want to see people go broke in the process.

Instead of putting up a smoke screen by saying medicine imported from Canada and other countries is dangerous, the FDA should work with lawmakers to help find a solution. If Congress succeeds in getting the cost of prescription drugs for seniors lowered, the problem would likely go away.