It's no secret that medicine in America is not cheap."We're paying four to five times more than any nation in the world, and we consume more than any other nation in the world," said David Little, a communications consultant for Ohio Taxpayers for Lower Drug Prices.Little said Ohio voters can help reign in rising prescription drug costs by voting yes on Issue 2 during next month's election."The pharmaceutical industry is terrified that this will pass," he said.Little, a passionate supporter of Issue 2, has been touting the measure statewide.But what would the proposed law do, and why are opponents running ads saying if Issue 2 becomes law, drug prices could actually go up?Issue 2 would require the state of Ohio to pay no "more for prescription drugs than the price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs." Supporters have said the VA pays, on average, 20 to 24 percent less for drugs than the regular price drug companies charge.Read ballot language hereIt would also make the state defend any future lawsuits against the proposal.Issue 2 would affect drug prices for approximately 4 million Ohioans who get their prescriptions through state programs. While not directly impacting people who have private insurance, Little said everyone in the state would benefit if Ohio were able to save hundreds of millions of dollars on the price the state pays for medicine."This would lower the state price through negotiation," Little said. "And negotiation is as American as apple pie."But critics contend Issue 2 is a bad deal all the way around."It would make things more expensive, as well as jeopardize the availability of some of these medicines," said Jason Kershner, vice president of government affairs for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, one of dozens of organizations opposed to Issue 2.Kershner argues Ohio already negotiates with drug companies. He also said the price the VA pays for drugs is secretive."If this issue were to pass, you would actually lose those discounts," Kershner said. "And since we don't know what those prices are that the VA pays, we don't know what the impact would be, and it would likely increase drug costs."While Kershner said Issue 2 would push drug prices higher, Little contends a yes vote will do just the opposite by making Big Pharma focus more on patients than profits."We have to force them to do it, and that's why they're kicking and screaming to make sure it doesn't happen in Ohio," Little said.Because there are so many competing claims, Issue 2 is a ballot issue that requires voters to carefully consider what both sides are saying.For example, the Ohio Pharmacists Association calls America's current drug pricing system "broken" and "anti-competitive," but the group opposes Issue 2, saying it could have "serious negative consequences" if it becomes law. Nearly 200,000 Ohioans signed petitions to get Issue 2 on the November ballot.A similar measure failed in California last year.