One great thing about big election years is that politicians are forced to talk about and pose solutions to issues that are really plaguing the country.

One of these issues – not unique to New Hampshire – is prescription drug abuse. If you listen to my “podcast” this week, you’ll hear mentioned that more people died in New Hampshire last year from drug overdoses than from traffic accidents. Scary to think about.

The upside of the problem, though, is that politicians and elected officials are trying to fix the trend.

Senator John McCain, whose wife Cindy admittedly was addicted to prescription pain killers in the mid-90s, is fighting for stricter drug laws. Senator Hillary Clinton says she wants to expand rehabilitation and diversion programs. Senator Joe Biden is chairing a joint subcommittee in the Senate on the issue. President Bush released last month his 2008 National Drug Control Strategy. Here are some of his remarks:

“Our drug control strategy … will also target a growing problem -- the abuse of prescription drugs by youth. Unfortunately, many young Americans do not understand how dangerous abusing medication can be. And in recent years, the number of Americans who have died from prescription drug overdoses has increased.” (President George W. Bush, March 1, 2008, Radio Address)

But solutions are being posed on the state level, too. Last week, I sat down with New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly Ayotte and asked her a few questions about what her office is trying to do to control (and prosecute) these prescription drug abuse cases. Listen to my short audio clip and I think you’ll find her ideas are well-thought-out and insightful.

Prescription drug abuse is just one of the many issues that young people across the country are thinking about as we make our slow way to the polls in November. If you have ideas, critiques or just a story to share, make your voice heard. It counts, too.

 Here's the link to the audio clip: http://think.mtv.com/044FDFFFF00989E9700030098E4EA/