War Wounds: Prescription drug abuse in US Military Skyrockets

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Kay Van Wey

 A recent Pentagon study revealed alarming rates of prescription drug abuse among active duty soldiers. The study revealed that an alarming 1 in 4 soldiers admitted to abusing prescription drugs, most commonly pain killers.  A spokesman for the military stated that the prescription pain killers were being used for pain and also for "behavioral health issues".

 

Without question, the wounds of war include those that are physically painful. The horrors of war  also create an environment ripe for self-medicating psychological wounds. 

 

There is no doubt that most, if not all, of the men and women reportedly abusing prescription drugs present with some sort of physical pain or psychological injury. However, there are many alternative  ways to treat pain other than dolling out powerful addictive narcotics. Narcotic pain killers are not and never have been an acceptable treatment for psychological conditions. Moreover, prescribing powerfully addictive narcotics to persons who have co-existing mental health issues calls for greater vigilance on the part of the prescribing physician. 

 

 

USA TODAY reported last year that narcotic pain-relief prescriptions for injured or wounded U.S. troops jumped from 30,000 a month to 50,000 since the Iraq war began.This suggests that military doctors may be throwing prescription pain killers at  problems which require a more thoughtful and deliberate approach.

 

Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army surgeon general, created a task force to review the service's pain management practices. Creating a task force is a great start, but so much more is needed, such as education of the physicians who are prescribing these drugs.

The Army says it is expanding programs to treat and educate soldiers about drug abuse. But according to  Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, the service struggles to provide enough drug counselors and needs to hire 270 to 300.

The problem is that a) we the taxpayers are paying for all of these prescriptions; and b) these fine young men and women who have served our country will now be returned to  society with not only physical and psychological wounds , but also a drug addiction that may have been created and/or enabled by the military itself.

 

 

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The epidemic of prescription drug overdose deaths.

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Kay Van Wey

With the recent rash of celebrity overdose deaths, Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the prescription drug addiction epidemic which is ravaging this country and claiming the lives of her citizens.

According to the CDC,

The mortality rates from unintentional drug overdose (not including alcohol) have risen steadily since the early 1970s, and over the past ten years they have reached historic highs.

The CDC also added that drug overdose deaths are now 4 to 5 times higher than the death rates during the black tar heroin epidemic in the mid-1970s and more than twice what they were during the peak years of crack cocaine in the early 1990s. Currently, people in the 45-54 age group now die of drug overdoses more often than from traffic crashes.

The most common drugs found on autopsy in drug overdose deaths are called narcotics, usually prescription painkillers called opioids.  OxyContin , Vicodin  and  Lortab are examples of opioid painkillers. Methadone is also now widely used as a painkiller in addition to its use for treatment of addiction. Another drug commonly associated with drug overdose deaths is a group of drugs called sedatives like Xanax and Valium. Soma, a powerful muscle relaxer is often in the mix.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, more than 6 million Americans are  currently abusing prescription drugs—that is more than the number of Americans abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants combined. With more current users, we can expect the mortality rates from prescription drug overdose deaths to continue to rise.

The victims are not what many might perceive as a bum living under a bridge. These are our sons and daughters, parents, teachers and neighbors. It affects everyone from the high profile celebrity to the ordinary American.

A multi-pronged approach is needed to address this problem. But, recognition of the problem is a good place to start. It is unfortunate that it took several high profile cases to bring the problem into the public's eye. But, now that we know, we cannot turn a blind eye. The time is now to begin a dialogue about how to best address this killer epidemic.

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Prescription Drug Overdose Statistics

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Kay Van Wey

Unless I am suffering from an extreme case of insomnia, I don't enjoy studying statistics. Reading them is usually like watching paint dry. However, the old adage "statistics don't lie" really is true, particularly, when they are from a credible source.

Below is a chart from the CDC showing the increase in prescription pain killer overdose deaths from 2001-2005.

Prescription Opioid Analgesic Deaths Nationwide, 2001-2005

Graph showing the number of prescription opioid analgesic deaths nationwide for the years 2001-2005.


Since 2001, the National Forensic Lab  Information system (NFLIS) has produced estimates of the number of drug items and drug cases analyzed by state and local laboratories from a national representative sample of laboratories. NFLIS provides a unique source of information on the nation’s
drug problem by providing detailed and timely information on drug evidence secured in law
enforcement operations across the country. The results of the NFLIS 2008 survey are complete.

Nationally, reports of alprazolam, hydrocodone, oxycodone, clonazepam, and morphine experienced significant increases from 2001 through 2008. Alprazolam reports almost doubled during this time, while reports of hydrocodone increased 201%, morphine increased 197%, oxycodone increased 178%, and clonazepam increased 70%. Regionally, reports of hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine increased significantly in all census regions from 2001 through 2008. Reports of alprazolam and clonazepam increased significantly in the Midwest, South and Northeast.

We cannot look at these statistics and deny that we have a massive  prescription drug addiction problem in this country.

So, why until recently has the prescription drug epidemic been off the radar screen of most people?

  • Is it because it is a man-made/ home-grown problem that no one wants to accept responsibility for?
  • Is it because some powerful people and powerful corporations  are contributing to the problem?

It is easy to demonize the shady drug dealer selling street drugs on the corner, but some people are reluctant to accept that there are thousands of prescription drug dealers operating every day in this country who have been granted a license to do so. The agencies who are charged with the responsibility for monitoring and regulating them are failing to address the problem. If the do catch a doctor or pharmacist abusing their DEA license, they frequently get off with a mere slap on the hand.

If you deal drugs in a white lab coat or behind a pharmacy counter should  that make you immune from accountability? Why shouldn't we treat all drug dealers alike, regardless of their educational or socio-economic status?

Statistics don't lie. Knowledge is power.

We can no longer stick our heads in the sand and deny the existence of the prescription drug addiction epidemic that has hit this country. Shout it from the mountaintops. Educate your friends and family. Ask your local law enforcement and  elected officials what they are doing to address the problem.

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