Deadliest of all, many users combine different medications to get a better high, and wind up poisoning themselves instead, he added.
Between 1999 and 2005, unintentional deaths from drug poisoning increased 68.3 percent, and most of those deaths were from prescription drugs, Kress said.
Even when drug abuse doesn’t cause death, the statistics are staggering. In 2006 alone, 700,000 emergency room visits were attributed to prescription drug overdoses.
Parents need to learn more about prescription drug abuse — and then talk to their teens about it, Kress said.
Both the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse have Web sites to help both parents and teens. Parents can visit http://www.DEAdiverson.usdoj.gov or http://www.nida.nih.gov for information, and teens can learn about the effects of prescription drugs at http://www.justthinktwice.com or http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov.

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Source http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/local/danville_news/article/prescription_drug_abuse_now_tops_illegal_drug_use/14771/

Meth use declining while cocaine heroin and prescription drug abuse increasing

By Reid Wright Argus Staff Writer Posted: 09/09/2009 11:04:15 PM

MDTCARLSBAD — Individuals seeking treatment for methamphetamine dependency in Carlsbad have been in decline over the past few years while those seeking treatment for crack-cocaine, heroin and prescription drug dependency have been increasing, said Kirstin Carlson, of Carlsbad Mental Health Center.Meanwhile, in a parallel trend, federal drug seizures of meth in New Mexico have been reduced from 65 kilograms in 2006 to 35 kilograms in 2008. At the same time, heroin seizures have multiplied from 6 kilograms to 32 kilograms and cocaine seizures have reduced slightly from 672 kilograms to 602 kilograms, according to the DEA.The demand for treatment outweighs the capacity of treatment programs, Carlson said. And construction of a larger facility has been scaled-down and slowed by a lack of funding, Kenney Rayroux, Eddy County Human Resources director, said.”The real need is for medical detox space and for it to be regional,” he said. “Funding never materialized and it had to be scaled back. The Eddy County Commission has made allocations to keep the project moving forward.”

Too bad the DOL doesn’t effectively work to promote adoption of effective drug free workplace strategies such as random oral fluid drug testing, including screening for prescription drug misuse.

“Successful drug-free workplace programs provide a safe and healthy environment for workers, and result in a productive workplace for employers,”

-Elena M. Carr, drug policy coordinator for the Labor Department’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy

The U.S. Department of Labor today encouraged public and private community organizations to participate in the 4th annual Drug-Free Work Week, which will occur Oct. 19 to 25.

This public awareness campaign, held each October, emphasizes the importance of drug-free workplace programs to help prevent workplace alcohol and drug use, and encourage workers with alcohol and drug problems to seek help.

This year’s campaign will have a special focus on the benefits drug-free workplace programs bring to America’s families and communities. In cities and towns across the nation, community-based and neighborhood organizations will be organizing a variety of grassroots activities to spread the campaign’s core message that “Working Drug Free Works” to workers, working parents and youth.

“For everyone’s safety, participate in this year’s campaign to reduce substance and alcohol abuse that can affect families and entire communities.”

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via U.S. Labor Department announces dates for 4th annual Drug-Free Work Week | Reuters.

September 1, 2009

Little Rock police said Monday that one man died and another was hospitalized after they were found unconscious along a city street from an apparent overdose of a drug extracted from a prescription pain patch.

Two men were found unresponsive with one having a prescription for a prescription pain releiver patch.   On person died and the other told police that they removed gel from the patch and ingested it.

“Bad situation,” Little Rock police spokesman Lt. Terry Hastings said. “Don’t do that.”

Hastings said autopsy results were pending  and charges have not been filed, though the investigation is continuing.”This guy had a prescription; he did not have the patch illegally. Giving his friend some may be illegal,” Hastings said.

According to the National Highway and Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) 2007 National Roadside Survey, more than 16 percent of weekend, nighttime drivers tested positive for illegal, prescription, or over-the-counter medication. More than 11% tested positive for illicit drugs—five times as many as were under the influence of alcohol—a sign that continued substance abuse education, prevention, and law enforcement efforts are critical to public health and safety.

“The troubling data shows us the scope of drugged driving in America, and reinforces the need to reduce drug abuse,” said Director Kerlikowske. “Drugged driving, like drunk driving, puts us all at risk and must be prevented.”

via Opposing Views: NEWS: Drug Czar Warns of Threat of Using Drugs and Driving.

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Many baby boomers (Americans in the generation born between 1946 and 1964) are continuing to use illicit drugs as they grow older, causing the rate of illicit drug use to go up within the 50 to 59 year old age segment of the population.

According to a new analytical publication produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), those aged 50 to 59 reporting use of illicit drugs within the past year has nearly doubled from 5.1 percent in 2002 to 9.4 percent in 2007

via Drug Abuse Increasing Among Baby Boomers.

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Dan Piirainen says he watched some of his lifelong friends’ lives turn upside down as they experimented with heroin.

But this isn’t the typical drug addict story.

A group of friends began using the dangerous drug at a young age, as early as 17 years old. Heroin use overall in Northern Nevada is climbing at an alarming rate, but the Regional Street Enforcement Team says the situation is even more concerning because younger people are buying the drug.

“We used to see a heroin addict be a 30 or 40 year old person who has been using for a couple of years, and they inject it or IV-use heroin. But today, a lot more young people are using it,” Sgt. Mac Venzon, with the Street Enforcement Team, said.

Venzon says they are seeing people ages 17 to 20 “stuck in the heroin loop that they just can’t get out of.”

Piirainen says he’s not surprised and has witnessed the snowball effect of heroin.

“One friend would do it. They would pass it on. It would just get bigger and bigger. Now the monster is out of control,” he said. “They always chose the drug over friendship and family. They didn’t care.”

The Street Enforcement Team has been recovering more and more heroin from the streets over the past couple of years. In 2006, they seized 6.4 grams. It climbed to 59.1 grams and 195 grams in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

The amount of heroin recovered has skyrocketed so far in 2009. The Street Enforcement Team seized 513.9 grams of heroin in the first half of this year alone, which is on pace for 2009 to have more than a 400 percent increase from 2008.

Data also shows the number of arrests for heroin charges in Washoe County is rising. Arrests doubled from 19 in 2007 to 46 in 2008. 56 heroin arrests are in books through the first half of 2009.

So why are younger people turning to heroin? The Street Enforcement Team believes there is a link between prescription drug abuse and heroin. Venzon says heroin and many painkillers are opiate-based drugs. Once a user becomes addicted to the prescription drug, the “turn to heroin is not that far away.”

Venzon says the street price of heroin can actually be cheaper than buying pills. A small balloon of heroin goes for about $10, according to Venzon.

Piirainen says the problem is spiraling out of control.

“Don’t think you can try it once and not do it again. It’s not even worth it,” Piirainen said.

via Younger people turn to heroin; possible link to prescription drug – Channel 4 KRNV.com: Local News and Weather for Reno-Tahoe Region:.

RISING TIDE: Abuse of prescription medicine poses growing challenge

By John Davis

Published: Thursday, August 13, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 10:50 p.m.

NORTH PORT – Prescription drug abuse is on the rise in North Port, even as other crimes decline.

A police report to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shows violent crimes essentially level compared with 2008, and property crimes such a burglary dropped by 9 percent.

But drug offenses are up sharply — 41 percent compared with the same period last year.

Police are often finding people with painkillers and other narcotics they are not supposed to have during routine traffic stops and domestic violence calls. The high-profile overdose death of North Port teenager Nick Block in June has highlighted the problem of prescription-drug abuse.

“The biggest wave I’ve seen lately is the diversion of otherwise legal narcotics,” said North Port Police Chief Terry Lewis.

Block, 15, was found dead June 5 in the Budget Inn in North Port after he snorted oxycodone with his stepfather the night before, according to police. An autopsy showed the painkiller and cocaine were in Block’s system.

Billy Courtright got prescriptions for 250 oxycodone pills from doctors in Venice and North Port within a matter of days by “doctor shopping,” or going to multiple doctors to get prescriptions for the same ailment, interviews with a doctor showed.

via Drug abuse large part of crime in North Port | HeraldTribune.com | Sarasota Florida | Southwest Florida’s Information Leader.

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“We are looking at how we can make that work,” Matich said. “There is no time table at implementing that yet.”

The cases Nielsen refers to are those of Kristen Parker and Mary Madill. The pair became public focal points in July after two cases of rampant theft of the painkiller Fentanyl in two area hospitals.

Parker, a scrub technician, is accused of possibly infecting 19 people with hepatitis C after injecting herself with the drug from syringes intended for patients and then refilling the needles with saline solution during her work history at Rose Medical Center and Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs.

Parker’s case has resulted in the state health department in testing thousands of former surgery patients for infection of hepatitis C.

Rose Medical Center administered an employment drug test to Parker when she was hired and then a second one when there was suspicion of drug diversion going on.

Madill, a registered nurse, is accused of stealing painkilling drugs while working as a nurse at St. Anthony Central Hospital. According to Madill’s arrest affidavit, the long-time nurse was suspected of falsifying reports to account for drugs dispensed during ambulance trips.

Madill was confronted about the discrepancies and admitted to taking the drug for a long time according to the affidavit. Madill will appear in court next on Aug. 20 for a second advisement in her criminal case.

According to DORA’s records, there are 67,119 registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who are registered in Colorado.

via Nurses Abuse Prescription Drugs At Higher Rate – Denver News Story – KMGH Denver.

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