Prescription Addiction, Diversion, and Abuse
DEA Publishes “PMP Committee Phase II PMIX Pilot Project Survey of State Prescription Monitoring Programs”
February 21, 2007
The efficiency increases afforded by Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PMPs) has allowed the early detection of abuse trends and possible sources of diversion within states. A growing problem that offenders have come to realize, however, is that even states with effective PMPs may not communicate effectively with each other. This leaves open the possibility for cross-border doctor shopping, where offenders travel from state to state, but work within individual state limits, in order to accomplish their illicit goals. The IJIS PMP initiative has been funded under BJA to help state PMPs develop measures to combat this recognized weakness. Story
Teens Turn Away From Street Drugs, Move to Prescription Drugs, New Report Reveals
February 14, 2007
Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters today released a new White House analysis that shows alarming trends in teen abuse of prescription drugs and cough and cold medicines to get high. Story
Deadly Abuse of Methadone Tops Other Prescription Drugs
February 13, 2007
Methadone, a painkiller that has been used to treat heroin addicts for decades, has emerged as an increasingly popular and deadly street drug, joining narcotics such as Vicodin and OxyContin as frequently abused prescription drugs. Story
Dealers, Family Biggest Sources of Illegal Prescription Painkillers:
February 9, 2007
Despite media reports of addicts getting prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin from the Internet, most of them are actually getting these drugs from family, friends or dealers, a new study finds. Story
Drug Czar Reports Drop in Drug Use
February 9, 2007
Illegal drug use in the United States has dropped sharply since 2001 but abuse of prescription drugs remains a problem, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy said Friday. Story
Unintentional Poisoning Deaths --- United States, 1999--2004
Unintentional drug poisoning mortality rates increased substantially in the United States during 1999--2004. Previous studies, using multiple cause-of-death data, have indicated that the trend described in this report can be attributed primarily to increasing numbers of deaths associated with prescription opioid analgesics (e.g., oxycodone) and secondarily to increasing numbers of overdoses of cocaine and prescription psychotherapeutic drugs (e.g., sedatives), and cannot be attributed to heroin, methamphetamines, or other illegal drugs. Story
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