With prescription drugs accounting for over 13,800 deaths in 2008 politicians are screaming for law enforcement crack downs, state wide patient tracking programs but are tight lipped about doctors prescription writing practices'.
Over 95% of all doctors fail to screen patients adequately prior to handing out extremely lethal and addictive prescriptions. No written or urine screening provided, takes to much time & trouble, simply give the drugs.
If patients have very good insurance the quantities of the prescriptions can be 100% or greater than what is needed.
You have not heard any politicians concerned about the source of prescriptions, doctors. This would make to much sense, go to the source, huh, what an idea. reactive.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Epidemic' of drug use among teens
Epidemic' of drug use among teens, health official says
They didn't gather to judge or shame, but rather to sound the alarm.
"More teenagers now die of drugs than motor vehicle accidents. We're in the midst of an epidemic," said Dr. Paul Russell, a pediatrician who co-chairs the child death review team of Ventura County's Department of Public Health.
Russell was one of the many medical and law enforcement professionals on hand Thursday night at a community forum at Thousand Oaks High School, the first in an ongoing series developed to address the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and heroin use in the Conejo Valley.
"Since January 2009 there have been four deaths, 22 overdoses and 245 arrests associated with heroin use in the Conejo Valley," reported Capt. Brent Kerr of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
"Eighty percent of those who overdosed were between the ages of 16 and 25, and 80 percent of those arrested were between 16 and 25."
The social acceptability of prescription drugs, and a perceived lack of harm, is fueling the drug abuse problem, according to Ventura County's Assistant Sheriff Gary Pentis. "It starts in the medicine cabinet, which is why one of the first preventive models is to properly dispose of unused prescriptions."
All of the area's police and sheriff stations now have bins for the anonymous disposal of unused medications.
More teenagers now die of drugs than motor vehicle accidents. We're in the midst of an epidemicDr. Paul Russell
Pentis said what starts out as occasional recreational drug use quickly turns to addiction. Prescription drugs are expensive, typically selling for $30 a pill on the street. Heroin, however, provides a similar drug experience at a much cheaper rate.
But it was parents' personal stories of loss that had the biggest impact on the audience.
Rick Kelman's description of his son Brady's battle with prescription drugs reminded parents that smart, good kids are at risk, too. Dead of an accidental prescription drug overdose at 26, Brady's photos were of a smiling, handsome young man belying his years of struggle.
Krissy McAfee told of her son Trey, who started abusing prescription drugs at 17 and died of a heroin overdose at 24. She said she asked the hard questions, forced the at-home drug tests and practiced tough love, but to no avail.
"Our kids are being targeted by heroin dealers. We're in a war and my son was a casualty of that war," she said.
Also at the meeting, Ventura County Behavioral Health's senior administrator Janet Kaplan discussed the county's prevention services and its website, http://www.safeconejo.org/. Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center ER physician Dr. Matthew Beatty cautioned parents about kids' alcohol use and freshman pressures at college as potential triggers for drug abuse.
A second community forum is scheduled for April 27 at Westlake High School.
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