Recent study requested by Senator Casey on PA drug and gang crime shows prescription drug abuse can lead to heroin abuse
WASHINGTON, DC— U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today highlighted the nationwide prescription drug "Take-Back" initiative. Tomorrow, a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)-organized effort at sites around the country will encourage proper drug disposal to prevent increased pill abuse and theft.
“Proper disposal of prescription drugs is not only a health issue, it is a public safety issue as drug abuse and crime related to prescription drugs is on the rise,” said Senator Casey. “The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day to be held tomorrow will offer people in Pennsylvania and around the country a safe means of disposing of their prescription drugs.”
Prescription drugs in medicine cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are increasing at alarming rates, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, many Americans do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – both potential safety and health hazards.
A recent study requested by Senator Casey and undertaken by the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) examined drug and gang crime in Eastern Pennsylvania. Among the findings was a connection to prescription drug abuse and later heroin abuse.
Specifically, the NDIC threat assessment said: “The increase in heroin abuse among suburban adolescents and young adults (particularly those at or near age 17) is due in part to addiction to prescription opioids—which are sometimes prescribed initially for legitimate conditions. In many instances, adolescents’ initial abuse of prescription opioids develops into dependence and, later, heroin addiction because of the low cost of heroin relative to prescription opioids.”
The NDIC Eastern Pennsylvania Drug and Gang Threat Assessment 2011 can be viewed here.
On Saturday, the DEA will coordinate a collaborative effort with state and local law enforcement agencies to remove potentially dangerous controlled substances from our nation’s medicine cabinets. Collection activities will take place from 10:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. at sites established throughout the country. There are roughly 400 collection sites in Pennsylvania. A list of collection sites is available through the DEA: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html.
Senator Casey is a supporter of the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011 which would improve Drug Enforcement Administration prescriber education requirements; help states establish interoperable prescription drug monitoring programs to prevent interstate and intrastate “doctor shopping” and drug trafficking; and remove dangerous opioids from the market.
He and other senators unveiled a plan to crack down on pharmaceutical drug theft along every point of the supply chain – from the warehouse to the delivery truck to the pharmacy. The plan would combat theft by hiking penalties, making theft of medical products a predicate for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law and giving law enforcement officials the tools they need – including wiretaps – to fight back against the dangerous drug rings.
In 2010, Senator Casey introduced and passed a Senate resolution designating May 24, 2010 as Prescription Drug Disposal Awareness Day. May 24th was Timothy Michael Strain’s birthday. Timmy, as his family called him, died after he was given painkillers that had not been prescribed for him. Through their grief, his parents Bernie and Beverly Strain have taken up the cause of safe drug disposal to make sure what happened to their son does not happen to others.
