Council Approves Canadian Drug Bill

"I think the county executive is seeking an answer to a question he already knows the answer to," said Robert A. Stewart, a lobbyist for the Municipal & County Government Employees Organization, which supported Perez's proposal. "For whatever reason, this is an uncomfortable issue for him."

Last month, the county school board, at the urging of Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, declined to participate, mainly because of concerns that the action would violate federal law. The board, which has jurisdiction over 27,000 employees, said it would reconsider if the county received an FDA waiver or if the Duncan administration acted first.

Although the council bill applies only to county government employees and retirees, Perez hopes that the school system, the planning agency, Montgomery College and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission will follow.

David Weaver, a Duncan spokesman, said the administration is still hoping to get a waiver from the federal government, though it has yet to hear a response. If it does not get one, Weaver said, the administration "will work with the council to implement the law."

Board of Education President Patricia O'Neill (Bethesda-Chevy Case) said the council's decision, absent an FDA waiver, will not have an impact on whether the school system moves forward.

"The board was very clear on this. We were going to be a follower, not a leader,'' she said.

Beyond the legal considerations, some policymakers note that the economics of the issue have changed during the past year.

Last fall, council members said the program could save taxpayers $15 million to $20 million. Since then, some have suggested that the actual savings could be as little as $1 million.

Canadian officials have also said they are going to restrict the flow of drugs to the United States.