Granted, society is 5-8 years late recognizing this serious problem, but at least it is now out in full view.
Prescribed problem Illegal use of medications a growing concern
OHIO - 2009 - The Daily Record - The stereotypical view of drug addicts buying their daily fix in small bags in back alleys is giving way to a new reality of prescription drug abuse where pharmaceuticals come in plastic bottles with a prescription pasted on the side.
Police and drug enforcement are dealing with a growing threat in the form of abuse of pharmaceutical opiates such as Oxycontin, Vicodin and Percocet. Typically prescribed for pain through legitimate prescriptions, obtained by deceptive means, or raiding medicine cabinets, the drugs are creating a new culture of addicts and dealers.
Only the OraPoint on-site drug screen effectively screens for these prescription pain relievers.
The problem with pharmaceutical opiates, according to Medway Drug Enforcement Agency Director David Smith, has grown in recent years so much it had to double its pharmaceutical diversion unit.
"If they learn there's an easy mark out there, they'll travel. Within that type of community, that word travels real fast. I'm sure they go to rural areas because they assume no one's watching, (rather) than to go to a bigger city," Smith said. "We have seen people from all over, not just adjacent counties, (but) two, three counties away."
The pharmaceutical diversion unit began May 2008, with aid of grant funding, consisting of former Wayne County Sheriff's deputy Jim Garrett. Bill Hofer, a former Wooster Police officer, came on in May to help with the caseload.
Cases investigated come from complaints filed, whether it's a doctor's office, a pharmacy, law enforcement or anonymous tips.
Medway made seven buys of Xanax in 2008, compared to two buys in 2007, and six buys of Oxycontin in 2008, compared to one buy in 2007. Other opiates purchased in 2008, not seen in 2007, include morphine, Darvocet, Lorazepam, Percocet, Klonopin and Hydrocodone.
Garrett said he has done a lot of outreach to local pharmacies, hospitals and they have been receptive and cooperative.
"They're on the front lines, they have a keen sense of observation," he said of local doctors. "Red flags will go up. They'll either question it or call us."
In 2008, Wooster Police reported 29 thefts of medication. So far this year, 11 thefts of medication were reported, Chief Steve Glick said.
"It's a tough one for us to do anything in a preventative measure because it's going to be happening inside people's homes," Glick said. "... It's kind of a wide ranging problem. Drugs like cocaine have to be imported and have to get here. Oxycontin, Vicodin, Percocet, those drugs are readily available, and it's not the health profession's fault necessarily, it's just the fact that the drugs are available because they are prescribed."
Millersburg Police detective Sgt. Roger Estill said investigations have turned up instances of trafficking as well as addiction involving opiate-based prescription drugs. The drugs are often obtained through fraudulent means from pharmacies and emergency rooms, prompting physicians and pharmacists to watch for signs that illegal activity is occurring.
"I don't think there is an increase in activity. What's happening is an increase in reporting," Estill said. "The medical community is looking for it more, were getting a lot of cooperation from pharmacies."
Two individuals facing felony charges in Holmes County Common Pleas Court are charged with using deceptive means to obtain the drugs. The cases involve a 48-year-old Millersburg man who tried to get a prescription filled twice after claiming to have lost the first prescription, and a 28-year-old Warsaw woman charged with changing the number of pills on a prescription form.
In both cases, the drugs were legally prescribed by a physician, only not in the amounts requested.
"I find that when you go talk to them, they acknowledge it's a problem, but they don't know how to address the problem," Garrett said of people addicted to opiates. "They're just embarrassed to come to their family and say 'I have a problem.' Unfortunately, it takes us to contact them to admit it."
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Drugged Driving In Canada up 100%
RCMP cracking down on drug impaired drivers
Officers trained to spot drivers using illegal drugs
Jim Goddard VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) | Tuesday, May 19th, 2009 3:02 pm
The RCMP have a new focus for summer time driving enforcement. Inspector Norm Gaumont says they're going to be hunting for drivers impaired by drugs or a combination of drugs and booze.
Gaumont says 100 B.C. officers have now been trained to spot a driver who has had their judgement impaired by something other than alcohol. "They can make do a set of tests. If you fail those tests, they can actually make a demand for a blood, urine or saliva, and those are then sent to the lab."
Gaumont says studies found a 100 per cent increase in the number of B.C. drivers killed with drugs in their system between 2002 and 2007. He feels those number have increased since that study was done.
www.navigent3.com
Oral Fluid Drug Screens
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Teen Drug Abuse on the Rise
Police say teen drug abuse is on the rise in the Desert Southwest, as the number of hospital visits for drug abuse is increasing nationwide. Police say kids are having "pharming" parties; they show up with their pharmaceutical drugs, dump them in a bowl, and have at it. Yuma Police Department School Resource Officer Erick Resendiz held a presentation Wednesday night at City Hall as part of the Yuma Education Series. His message is if you abuse drugs, you're taking your life in your hands.
"We don't want to be responding to your house for an overdose when we can be responding to your house for advice on how to stop it," says Resendiz. Drugs can take a perfectly normal person, and turn them into a zombie. Resendiz says more kids in town are potentially throwing their future down the drain. He says police are seeing "over the counter and prescription drug abuse. Kids are trying any drug, if they have a drug that affects them somehow they think well if I take it more, can it help, will it help me." Resendiz also says more kids are inhaling toxins. Why are they doing drugs? To get high, deal with problems, change their body, help with school work, and a slew of other reasons. Resendiz says kids can find information on how to abuse drugs with the click of a mouse. "There's also experiment websites; sites they (kids) can go on-line that tell them how to abuse these drugs to get better highs safer. They even have rules like they're supposed to have a watcher; someone who can standby them when they're getting high in case something goes wrong." Resendiz says once a kid starts abusing drugs, they'll become a completely different person. Signs and symptoms of look out for: "Changes in behavior, changes in appearance, drastic things that don't normally happen in juveniles. Kids are giving away their belongings, they're losing an inappropriate amount of weight."
Resendiz says you can potentially save a loved ones life by getting them help before it's too late, and also studies show that if you talk to your child about not doing drugs, they'll be more likely to stay away from them. His advice for anyone is "don't even try them, don't even abuse them, don't take them any way, you shouldn't take them unless prescribed by a doctor. If you're already taking them get help, before you get past that addiction point where you can't get help anymore." For more information on Wednesday night's presentation, or for ideas on future presentation topics for the Yuma Educational Series, contact Officer Resendiz at the Yuma Police Department.
www.navigent3.com
Orapoint Oral Fluid Drug Tests
"We don't want to be responding to your house for an overdose when we can be responding to your house for advice on how to stop it," says Resendiz. Drugs can take a perfectly normal person, and turn them into a zombie. Resendiz says more kids in town are potentially throwing their future down the drain. He says police are seeing "over the counter and prescription drug abuse. Kids are trying any drug, if they have a drug that affects them somehow they think well if I take it more, can it help, will it help me." Resendiz also says more kids are inhaling toxins. Why are they doing drugs? To get high, deal with problems, change their body, help with school work, and a slew of other reasons. Resendiz says kids can find information on how to abuse drugs with the click of a mouse. "There's also experiment websites; sites they (kids) can go on-line that tell them how to abuse these drugs to get better highs safer. They even have rules like they're supposed to have a watcher; someone who can standby them when they're getting high in case something goes wrong." Resendiz says once a kid starts abusing drugs, they'll become a completely different person. Signs and symptoms of look out for: "Changes in behavior, changes in appearance, drastic things that don't normally happen in juveniles. Kids are giving away their belongings, they're losing an inappropriate amount of weight."
Resendiz says you can potentially save a loved ones life by getting them help before it's too late, and also studies show that if you talk to your child about not doing drugs, they'll be more likely to stay away from them. His advice for anyone is "don't even try them, don't even abuse them, don't take them any way, you shouldn't take them unless prescribed by a doctor. If you're already taking them get help, before you get past that addiction point where you can't get help anymore." For more information on Wednesday night's presentation, or for ideas on future presentation topics for the Yuma Educational Series, contact Officer Resendiz at the Yuma Police Department.
www.navigent3.com
Orapoint Oral Fluid Drug Tests
Prescription Drug Abuse - Oxycontin / Vicodin - #1 Drug Threat p 2009 Federal Survey
Prescription Drug Abuse
Despite the prevalence of prescription drug abuse, especially pain releivers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin, most organizations.. including federal mandated DOT drug testing do not monitor their use.
A recent Federal Survey* says prescription drug abuse by teens and young adults continues to be a serious problem in the United States.
Today, teenagers are not using as much marijuana, cocaine, crack, LSD, and ecstasy as the adolescents of the 1960’s. American kids have a new favorite way to get high; painkillers and other prescription drugs are being abused at record levels.
This group of young adults has been given the name “Generation Rx.”
For the first time, national studies show that today’s teens are more likely to have abused a prescription painkiller than any street drug.
Surveys shows, that kids as young as 12 years old are trying or using prescription drugs -- to get high or for "self-medicating." The pharmaceuticals are often more available to kids than street drugs because they are often found in their very own homes. Also, pills may regarded as safer because they are professionally manufactured in a lab.
The survey also shows that painkillers are the most common pharmaceutical abused by teens with stimulant abuse more common among older teens and college students than younger teens.
Many young adults think these drugs are safe because they have legitimate uses, but taking them without a prescription to get high or to “self-medicate” can be as dangerous – and as addictive – as using street any drug they find on the streets.
*The Monitoring the Future survey – now in it’s 33rd year – is a series of classroom surveys of eight, tenth and twelfth graders. It is conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the national Institutes of Health (NIH), and US Dept. of Health of Human Services (HHS).
The survey indicates a continuing high rate of prescription drug abuse among teens, with little change seen in the past six years. In fact, seven of the top 10 drugs abused were prescribed or purchased over the counter. The most common drugs used were Vicodin and Oxycontin.
www.navigent3.com
Drug Free Workplace Solutions
- Orapoint oral fluid drug screen
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Prescription Drug Abuse & Identity Theft
Cedar City Rotary learns about ID theft and prescription drug abuse
[Source:thespectrum.com]
CEDAR CITY — Cedar City Police lieutenants Darin Adams and Keith Millett informed Cedar City Rotary members on Tuesday about identity theft schemes trickling in from Las Vegas, prescription drug abuse and gang issues facing Festival City, USA.
Advertisement
Nevada has the nation’s third-worst identity theft problem, the Federal Trade Commission reported last week, as Nevadans filed 2,930 identity theft complaints in 2007. Adams and Millett said Southern Utah should heed that statistic as a warning to be alert to the frauds occurring about 150 miles away.
“We haven’t experienced the number of identity theft cases that Las Vegas has, but that doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to it,” said Adams, who also announced his promotion from sergeant to lieutenant at the meeting. “We need to be aware that these scams are happening so if they do appear here we can do something about it right away.”
In 2008, 9,101 cases were reported to the Las Vegas Metropolitan identity theft and forgery task force, the Las Vegas Sun reported. A rising scam identified by Adams in Las Vegas among those cases is medical identity theft. Adams said health care information is being stolen by thieves making appointments at doctor’s offices or hospitals posing as the victim of the identity theft. This can happen to anyone with a health insurance card, he said.
The grave consequences are when the victim gets the medical bills or when records are corrupted with incorrect information, creating potentially life-threatening situations for the real patient, Adams said.
To learn more about this story, please read tomorrow's online and print edition of The Spectrum & Daily News.
[Source:thespectrum.com]
CEDAR CITY — Cedar City Police lieutenants Darin Adams and Keith Millett informed Cedar City Rotary members on Tuesday about identity theft schemes trickling in from Las Vegas, prescription drug abuse and gang issues facing Festival City, USA.
Advertisement
Nevada has the nation’s third-worst identity theft problem, the Federal Trade Commission reported last week, as Nevadans filed 2,930 identity theft complaints in 2007. Adams and Millett said Southern Utah should heed that statistic as a warning to be alert to the frauds occurring about 150 miles away.
“We haven’t experienced the number of identity theft cases that Las Vegas has, but that doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to it,” said Adams, who also announced his promotion from sergeant to lieutenant at the meeting. “We need to be aware that these scams are happening so if they do appear here we can do something about it right away.”
In 2008, 9,101 cases were reported to the Las Vegas Metropolitan identity theft and forgery task force, the Las Vegas Sun reported. A rising scam identified by Adams in Las Vegas among those cases is medical identity theft. Adams said health care information is being stolen by thieves making appointments at doctor’s offices or hospitals posing as the victim of the identity theft. This can happen to anyone with a health insurance card, he said.
The grave consequences are when the victim gets the medical bills or when records are corrupted with incorrect information, creating potentially life-threatening situations for the real patient, Adams said.
To learn more about this story, please read tomorrow's online and print edition of The Spectrum & Daily News.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Pharmascists to Fight Prescription Drug Abuse
Ohio pharmacists use education to fight drug abuse
Source: COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)
Ohio pharmacists and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy are partnering to help educate residents about the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
The Ohio Pharmacists Association, the college and Cardinal Health Inc. plan to soon launch pilot programs using local pharmacists to teach residents in Columbus, Mount Vernon and Chillicothe about the dangers of abusing drugs they may find at home.
The partnership was announced Friday at the association's annual meeting, focusing on targeting teen drug abuse.
It follows a recent report by the Ohio Department of Health that showed drug overdoses topped traffic crashes as the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio in 2006 and 2007. Though heroin and other illegal drugs play a big role in those figures, the department attributed the increase to the use of prescription pain medicines.
"The drug problem is moving from the streets to the medicine cabinet," said Kenneth Hale, the pharmacy college's assistant dean for professional and external affairs.
Source: COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)
Ohio pharmacists and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy are partnering to help educate residents about the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
The Ohio Pharmacists Association, the college and Cardinal Health Inc. plan to soon launch pilot programs using local pharmacists to teach residents in Columbus, Mount Vernon and Chillicothe about the dangers of abusing drugs they may find at home.
The partnership was announced Friday at the association's annual meeting, focusing on targeting teen drug abuse.
It follows a recent report by the Ohio Department of Health that showed drug overdoses topped traffic crashes as the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio in 2006 and 2007. Though heroin and other illegal drugs play a big role in those figures, the department attributed the increase to the use of prescription pain medicines.
"The drug problem is moving from the streets to the medicine cabinet," said Kenneth Hale, the pharmacy college's assistant dean for professional and external affairs.
Firght Student Drug Abuse - Information for Parents
Birdville district forum aims to help parents counter drug abuse
(Source: By DIANE SMITH dianesmith@star-telegram.com)
Town experiences 16 drug related deaths in three months.
Prom, graduation and summer break are important times in teens’ lives, but they are also times in which many youths make poor choices about drugs and alcohol.
The Birdville school district wants to help parents by educating them today during a forum titled "The Real Story About Drug Use."
"We want to give them some information that gives them the warning signs and things to look for," said Donna Layer, coordinator of guidance and counseling services.
The forum will include discussions on trends and concerns, emergency services and the law. It comes as law enforcement agencies have investigated several drug-related deaths in Tarrant County.
From January to mid-March, the medical examiner’s office has confirmed 16 heroin-related deaths. Four other deaths are being investigated as possibly heroin-related. One drug-related death involved an accidental overdose of the drug Ecstasy.
Layer said the recent headlines heightened the need to hold a community discussion. Another key reason for the forum, part of a federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities grant, is to remind parents that teen drug and alcohol abuse continues to be a community worry.
"None of these things ever go away," Layer said. "Just because you are not hearing about it out on the forefront doesn’t mean it’s not an area of concern."
Here are some questions and answers about the forum and drug issues.
Is teen drug and alcohol abuse still a concern?
While the issue surfaces in cycles in the news media, it is always a concern, said Layer, adding that the community can’t become blase.
"Sometimes our kids just believe they are indestructible," she said.
What are some warning signs that my teen is abusing drugs or alcohol?
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry states that these may be warning signs: a drop in school performance, a change in friends, delinquent behavior and deterioration in family relationships. Go to the academy’s Web site ( www.aacap.org) for more information.
Where can I get educational information about drugs?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site ( www.nida.nih.gov) details drugs and how they affect the body. It also has educational materials for teens, parents and educators.
(Source: By DIANE SMITH dianesmith@star-telegram.com)
Town experiences 16 drug related deaths in three months.
Prom, graduation and summer break are important times in teens’ lives, but they are also times in which many youths make poor choices about drugs and alcohol.
The Birdville school district wants to help parents by educating them today during a forum titled "The Real Story About Drug Use."
"We want to give them some information that gives them the warning signs and things to look for," said Donna Layer, coordinator of guidance and counseling services.
The forum will include discussions on trends and concerns, emergency services and the law. It comes as law enforcement agencies have investigated several drug-related deaths in Tarrant County.
From January to mid-March, the medical examiner’s office has confirmed 16 heroin-related deaths. Four other deaths are being investigated as possibly heroin-related. One drug-related death involved an accidental overdose of the drug Ecstasy.
Layer said the recent headlines heightened the need to hold a community discussion. Another key reason for the forum, part of a federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities grant, is to remind parents that teen drug and alcohol abuse continues to be a community worry.
"None of these things ever go away," Layer said. "Just because you are not hearing about it out on the forefront doesn’t mean it’s not an area of concern."
Here are some questions and answers about the forum and drug issues.
Is teen drug and alcohol abuse still a concern?
While the issue surfaces in cycles in the news media, it is always a concern, said Layer, adding that the community can’t become blase.
"Sometimes our kids just believe they are indestructible," she said.
What are some warning signs that my teen is abusing drugs or alcohol?
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry states that these may be warning signs: a drop in school performance, a change in friends, delinquent behavior and deterioration in family relationships. Go to the academy’s Web site ( www.aacap.org) for more information.
Where can I get educational information about drugs?
The National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site ( www.nida.nih.gov) details drugs and how they affect the body. It also has educational materials for teens, parents and educators.
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