By Anjeanette Damon and Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette-Journal

Nevada has a pill problem.

From the number of people dying from prescription pain pill overdoses to the sheer amount of narcotics that doctors prescribe, Nevada tops national lists.

At the same time, Nevada lawmakers — pushed by a strong lobby of doctors — have resisted instituting programs used in other states that could flag practitioners who may need intervention for their prescribing practices.

That regulatory gap is exacerbated by professional licensing boards that say it’s not within their purview to initiate investigations against members outside of the formal complaint process.

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