Why preventing prescription drug abuse is important

Over the past week, a few posts focused on what coalitions can do to prevent teen medicine abuse.  Since I realize I may have put the cart before the horse, today's post will explain why preventing teen prescription painkiller abuse is important.  

Prescription medicine abuse is the intentional use of a medication without a prescription; in a way other than as prescribed; or for the experience or feeling it causes.  According to the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, the medications most commonly abused are pain relievers/opioids.  

Prescription opioids act on the brain like heroin does and can be highly addictive.  As a 2013 report on the problem in WA states, "For some, abuse of prescription-type opiates . . . leads to heroin use so preventing inappropriate use of prescription opiates is important." 

Abuse of opioids, alone or with other drugs including alcohol, can depress breathing and lead to death. In King County, the Poison Center reports that oxycodone and hydrocodone (both opiods) are the most common drugs mentioned in prescription drug-related overdose reports.  Prescription opiates and heroin are the top two causes of drug-related deaths in King County.  Since 2009, as prescription opiate-related deaths decreased heroin-related deaths increased.  

Source: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute's 2013 report on King County drug trends.  

Prescription painkiller abuse linked to rise in heroin use in Washington

According to a report recently released by the University of Washington Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI), Washington 10th grade students who abuse prescription painkillers are more likely to have tried heroin than students who had not abused painkillers.  The chart below illustrates the connection between prescription painkillers and heroin use among 10th grade students.

This is especially troubling in NE Seattle because over the past six years teenagers in our community have increasingly reported that they abuse prescription drugs.

The ADAI study also reports that heroin use has more than doubled over the past ten years in people under 30 in our state.  Along with that use comes an increase in substance abuse treatment admissions for heroin among young adults ages 18 to 29 years old. 

One way to prevent heroin use among young adults is to prevent prescription drug abuse among teenagers.  The Prevention WINS coalition educates parents about the dangers of prescription drug abuse and advises them to monitor and lock up their medications.  Families should also dispose of unused medicines.  The most environmentally-friendly and safe way to dispose of unused medicines is to take advantage of medicine return programs that, in NE Seattle, are offered at Group Health and at some Bartell drug stores.

Since medicine return programs are not available consistently throughout the county, the King County Board of Health is considering adopting a policy that would establish a permanent program funded and implemented by drug manufacturers.  The Board will vote on the proposed policy during their June 20 meeting.  Prevention WINS is a member of the King County Take Back Your Meds Coalition and supports the proposed policy.

Online TV show explains link between prescription painkillers and heroin

The push to reduce the supply of painkillers  is creating a new problem. Opiate addicts need their fix, so when they can’t easily get their pills, they’re often turning to heroin. During our next CADCA TV show, “Highway to Heroin,” airing February 28, experts will discuss how communities are dealing with two serious drug problems at the same time and how your community can prepare for an influx of heroin.

The show will also explore how the Community Awareness and Prevention Association coalition is working to prevent opiate use. Heroin use is now an epidemic in and around the areas of Cleveland, Ohio. Its use increased after painkiller users switched to heroine when the pain medications became harder to find.

Key concepts:
- Learn about the link between prescription painkillers and heroin

- Find out how to prepare your community for an increase in heroin use

- Hear what prevention strategies work best to educate about opiates

The show, which is hosted by CADCA’s Mary Elizabeth Elliott, will feature Marc J. Fishman, M.D., Addiction Psychiatrist, Faculty, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Lisa Roberts, R.N., Portsmouth City Health Department, Portsmouth, Ohio; and Harold Rochon, Lieutenant, Detroit Police Department.

How to Watch:
All CADCA TV shows are free of charge and can be viewed via live webcast. Simply click on “View Webcast” on the webpage of the CADCA TV show you’re interested in watching.

Prescription drug abuse leading to heroin abuse

Yesterday, KING5 broadcast a story about a teenager who recently died from a heroin overdose. 

Dean Shumway died of a heroin overdose just before his 19th birthday. He did not fit the stereotype of a heroin addict, down on his luck and homeless--but perhaps Dean does represent what's becoming the new face of heroin addiction: white middle class teenager.

Frank Couch, a counselor with Science and Management of Addictions (SAMA), says Dean is not an isolated case.

"It's a huge problem out there. It's a huge problem with young folks and adolescents,” said Couch.

Couch says these kids used to smoke Oxycontin, but now that the prescription painkiller has been reformulated, they're turning to heroin.

"It's cheaper, it's more readily available so the trend is moving back to heroin use again," he explained.