Over 18% Oregon Teens Have Abuse Prescription Drugs
Oregon is ranked as one of the top ten states that has the highest percentage of people that abuse prescription painkillers. The problem: people, especially Oregon teens, do not see the danger of using prescription drugs without the supervision of a physician. Larry Coonrod with the South Lincoln County News reports that many do not believe painkillers could be addictive.
The South Lincoln County News reports:
"Thirteen percent of Oregonians between the ages of 18 and 25 and 8 percent of those 12 to 17-years old have abused prescription drugs, according to the Oregon DHS.
The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health of teenagers found that:
• 1 in 5 report abusing prescription medication to get high.
• Forty percent believe prescription meds are “much safer” than illegal drugs.
• Thirty-one percent believe it’s OK to occasionally use medication without a prescription.
• Nearly 3 in 10 teens believe prescription pain relievers are not addictive."
Prescription painkillers of concern include oxycodone (Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and methadone. (Note: Oregon is #1 in methadone use per capita.) Coonrod states in his article: "By 2004, the U.S. accounted for just 4.5 percent of the world’s population but consumed 99 percent of the hydrocodone supply - the drug of choice for teens after marijuana."
Oregon Senate Bill 355
To help address the problem of prescription drug abuse, the Oregon Legislature developed Senate Bill 355 which will monitor drugs that were prescribed by physicians in Oregon. Doctors and pharmacists will be required to enter a patient's information into a database for any Schedule 2-Schedule 4 prescribed to them. The database is accessible to doctors and pharmacists so they can see how often specific drugs are being prescribed or dispensed. The idea behind this bill is to help prevent prescription drug abuse.
This idea is a great prevention tool for those who hop from doctor to doctor, seeking multiple prescriptions, which adults may be more likely to do. Oregon teens, however, access many of their prescription drugs from friends, connections at school, or even the medicine cabinet at home.
Drug Disposal Programs
To help address the issue of what to do with left-over prescription medications that are no longer needed, many cities in the US are implementing drug disposal programs where one can anonymously drop-off medication they no longer need. The drop-off boxes being used are monitored daily, usually emptied at least once a week, and every medication dropped off is logged and disposed of appropriately.
Boston.com reports that many parents have found this to be an effective way for parents to keep drugs away from their teens. The drug take-back program is meant to serve as not only a prevention tool, but also an awareness tool.
How could Portland teens benefit from a drug take-back program? Would we see a decline in prescription drug abuse among teens or would they get more resourceful in how they obtain these things?
Comments
The FDA Meeting Issue Background Document states:
Options 1(a) and 1(b) propose limitation of acetaminophen to 325mg per dose for OTC sales (and possible inclusion of all prescription formulations).
Option 5(b) proposes eliminating all prescription medications complexed with acetaminophen.
What is not (directly) stated by the FDA is the single most significant factor at play. Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab) complexed with acetaminophen is a Schedule III medication. Hydrocodone (alone) is under Schedule II. And there currently is NO SUCH PRODUCT manufactured!
Thus, the FDA [if they choose to vote for Option 5(b)] will (effectively) "re-schedule" hydrocodone from Schedule III to the *much* more restrictive Schedule II (written prescriptions only, maximum 30-day supply, etc.).
Addressing the current non-existence of any hydrocodone (on
PREVIOUS POST (CONTINUED)
Addressing the current non-existence of any hydrocodone (only) product, the FDA Background Document (lazily) states:
“For development of hydrocodone single-agent formulations, implementation would include:"
... "Submission of NDAs and ANDAs for single-ingredient hydrocodone products, which may also require clinical studies for demonstration of efficacy.”
A reported 460,000 prescriptions for hydrocodone with acetaminophen are written and filled every business day in the United States. (Despite) the fact that the public comment window has passed, all affected patients, physicians, and institutions would be wise to protest - loudly.
Since when does changing the laws decrease the use of drugs with Teen-agers? I say the best way to fight teen drug use is to make the pills turn your skin a funny color, like blue, that way teenagers won't take it.
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