Prescription Drug Abuse is Oklahoma’s Fastest Growing Drug Problem

02 Sep Prescription Drug Abuse is Oklahoma’s Fastest Growing Drug Problem

According to a report by the Oklahoma Prevention Leadership Collaborative (OPLC) the pattern for drug overdose deaths has changed considerably over the past 40 years. Heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines were most commonly associated with unintentional poisoning deaths but in the late 1990s the most common cause of overdose deaths became prescription drugs.

The OPLC reports prescription painkillers (opioids) are the most common class of drug involved in overdose deaths in Oklahoma (involved in 87% of prescription drug-related deaths, with 417 opioid-involved deaths in 2011). The most common prescription drugs involved in overdose deaths are hydrocodone, oxycodone, and alprazolam. In Oklahoma, more overdose deaths involved hydrocodone than methamphetamines, heroin, and cocaine combined.

The enforcement of prescription drug laws and implementation of effective regulations are necessary to eliminate improper prescribing and dispensing practices and the diversion of prescription drugs.

                               Unintentional Overdose Deaths

The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse reports four out of five unintentional poisoning deaths involved at least one prescription drug.  Of those deaths nearly 90% were related to prescription painkillers.

District Attorney Matt Ballard, District 12, is launching a new initiative to combat this deadly problem. Members of the DA’s team, along with members of law enforcement, will go into hospitals, district wide, and partner with health care workers to put best practices in place including opioid prescribing guidelines, prescription monitoring programs, addiction and substance abuse, drug storage and disposal as well as intervention. The focus will be on providing the most current information as well as insights shared with prescribers and dispensers from the expertise of law enforcement and prosecutors on this issue.

Prescribers and dispensers include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, veterinarians, and dentists.