Georgia lawmakers could create an unintended side effect while trying to fight the opioid epidemic.
Sydney Slaven and her husband have adopted four children and are currently fostering two others.
Several children she’s taken in, including her oldest son, have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorders.

“Every time I look at my planner for the month, I think ‘ok we’ve got five appointments this week and 6 next week,’” she said.
Now, if a new bill passes, she may have to make even more appointments.
Senate Bill 81 is aimed at fixing the over-prescription of schedule two, three, four and five drugs.

It would require a new prescription every five days, leaving less pills left over for people to sell on the street.

That’s something Pat Doyle with the Lookout Mountain drug task force says more than 30 people were arrested for in a case just last summer.

“They were actually obtaining legal prescriptions buying them wholesale and then selling them on the case,” Doyle said.

Doyle says he’s glad lawmakers are trying to bring change, but there are people who legitimately need medications without the hassle.

Slaven said, “She thought of having to disrupt their daily routine to go to one more doctors appointment is terrifying. It’s terrifying what that would mean for their stable environment at home.”

George Fincher studies the effects of ADHD medicines in children.

He’s worried if Senate Bill 81 passes, people will switch to schedule one drugs to try to fix the same problems.

“Some of these other second tier medications are not as advantageous,” he said.