Prescription Drug Overdoses Surpass Traffic Fatalities in Montana

Montana has seen a drastic increase in prescription drug abuse over the past year. Fatal overdoses related to prescription drugs have surpassed traffic fatalities.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an annual survey conducted by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Montana ranks third in the nation for teen abuse of prescription pain relievers, with 9.6 percent of respondents reporting abuse within the past year.

According to state authorities, more Montanans die of prescription drug overdoses than any other kind of overdose, including illegal overdoses related to drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Approximately 60 percent of prescription drug abusers in Montana report getting prescriptions free from a friend or relative, while more than 14 percent buy or steal them from a friend or relative.

The state Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation reports that 42 percent of the drug cases this year relate to prescription drugs. This represents a significant increase since 2003, when only 7 percent of cases involved prescription drugs.

State Attorney General Steve Bullock commented on the trend and the state's plans to address the problem, saying, "Given the more than 320 deaths last year, given the fact that we're third per capita in the country for children abusing prescription drugs, and given that this has become one of law enforcement's primary issues, we put together an advisory council to talk about how to better address the issue in Montana's communities."

(Sources: www.kfbb.com, www.missoulan.com)

Labels: prescription-drug-abuse, teen substance abuse

posted by Aspen Education Group @ 1:56 PM