Rx Addiction More Rampant than Ever

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Government leaders and medical professionals across the country are staring in the face of some pretty scary statistics. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, US News & World Report and more American media are reporting the same frightening story — prescription drugs such as morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone and methadone are killing us. Especially our teens and our middle-aged white men.

The Problem is Real

According to the State of Arkansas Drug Director’s Office, Arkansas is among the 10 worst states for non-medical use of prescription pain relievers among persons age 12 or older, and in non-medical use of pain relievers among young adults age 18-25. Many teens believe prescription pills are safer than other drugs; however, numerous studies suggest these opioid painkillers are the new gateway to heroin and injected drugs (no longer marijuana).

The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office wants parents to be aware that prescription drugs pose just as much of a threat when misused as illicit, illegal drugs do. In fact, their office reports that the number of overdose deaths associated with prescription drugs in Arkansas now exceeds that of deaths attributed to both cocaine and heroin abuse combined. And US News & World Report sites new research that says teens abusing painkillers have a 33 percent increased risk of continuing to abuse them into adulthood.

How is This Happening?

For Dr. Michael Mancino, Associate Professor in the UAMS Department of Psychiatry and the program director of the Center for Addiction Services & Treatment in the Psychiatric Research Institute, the problem for addicted adults starts with inappropriate prescribing and overprescribing of prescription painkillers for things such as chronic pain.

“In the 80s and 90s, there was a pain management explosion; new pain management clinics and new prescription drugs emerged,” Mancino says. “There was an almost 400 percent increase in the prescribing of hydrocodone/oxycodone.” Not to mention the direct-to-consumer advertising, which Mancino believes steered many into their doctors’ offices to get pills they may not have needed.

For young adults, the ease of access to their parents’ leftover prescriptions is the problem driver. In fact, a recent PAT Study found that 63 percent of teens admitted to getting drugs from their parents’ medicine cabinets. “Parents aren’t talking to their children about the dangers of these medications,” Mancino says, “just of the negative impacts of illict drugs like cocaine and marijuana.” That, of course, needs to change. Fast.

Fixing The Problem

The Arkansas’ Attorney General’s Office, the Arkansas Office of Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention and other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are on the case. They’re doing something about this epidemic and have teamed up to bring awareness and inspire action with the Arkansas Drug Take Back program, a program already responsible for the collection of 81 tons (226 million pills) of unused prescription medications. The pills collected will never be abused, be accidentally ingested, be used in a crime, cause an overdose, cause a traffic accident or pollute Arkansas waterways.

In addition to the biannual drug take back events (the next event is April 30) an ongoing education program teaching locals to “Monitor, Secure & Dispose” their prescription medications and permanent drug take back locations add to the coalitions’ efforts to combat this problem.

On The Homefront

As a whole, Arkansas is doing a great job. The state ranks third nationally in pounds collected per person, and despite being 32nd in population, Arkansas ranks No. 15 in the nation for total weight collection. At home, there’s still work to be done. In fact, parents are the first line of defense in this battle.

Mancino offers his advice to parents in three simple steps. “Start a conversation about the dangers early, even at age 6,” he says. “Be honest. Tell them that pills feel good, but that it will turn on you.” Next, he suggests family drug testing, also beginning at a young age. “Start around age 11, and make it something they come to expect.” When they’re offered drugs, they’ll be more likely to turn them down. Finally, Mancino reinforces the coalitions call-to-action—dispose of prescription medications properly. “Get rid of it at a drug take back location.”

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Dispose Your Rx Drugs Here!

Drugs thrown in the garbage are available for others to take and use, and can get into the environment. Medicines that are flushed or poured down the drain can pollute our waters, impact aquatic species and contaminate our food and water supplies. These medicines need to be incinerated by professionals. Take your unused prescription medicines to an Arkansas Drug Take Back event (biannual; next event is Saturday, April 30) or visit ARTakeBack.org to find a take back location near you.