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Thursday, September 1, 2011

Curbing a Nations Rampant Substance Abuse Problem

 
Abstract

            The year is 2011 and you reside in Lee County, FL also known as the “Pill Mill capitol” of the country. I-75 is the highway back and forth to pill city. You are a middle class citizen who lives pay check to pay check and coffee pot to coffee pot. The new channels are cluttered with clips saying “20 arrested in prescription drug bust tonight at 8pm”.One day as you grab your morning cup of Joe and paper from your local stop and shop. You read in that paper “Two parents arrested in convenience store parking lot for having illegal drugs without a prescription”.
As the title grabs your attention you continue to read the article and find out that the two parents also had their two children with them. Both under the age of five and all members of the family are living out of the vehicle. If your addiction is so overwhelming that you’re willing to lose your children then please insert your pride in your back pocket and seek immediate help.
It’s almost impossible to not think “What can be done about the growing problem of abuse of prescription drugs?” “Prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused category of drugs, behind marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs.”( Barbara K. Hecht, PhD , Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD, 2009).
Should there be a national database or shall we leave each state to figure out a way to regulate prescription drugs and track them?  Well….. Consider this. Einstein once said “There are only two things that are infinite. The universe and human stupidity and I’m not sure about the first one.”  I think who wouldn’t spot the elephant in the room when thinking about the answer to that question? We can rank this epidemic as another shameful episode in U.S history tied with “The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment” and “The Patriot Act”. The only answer I can fathom for this question is, yes! There should be a national database. How else are we supposed to stop “Pill Tourism” if a tracking system it not implemented nationally?
Curbing a Nations Rampant Substance Abuse Problem
As a physician what is the rational for given out a deadly disease that gives nothing more than social and community disarray as the cure. I can’t help but wonder is the government in bed with doctors? Or is the government on a secret genocide mission to wipe out those weak at mind and secretly decrease the population? Although the problem of prescription drugs may seem impossible to eliminate at its current stage, there are concrete steps that can be taken to weaken the hold of drugs on are nation.
First, I propose that the U.S implement a real “Narcotic Tracking System” using a person Medicaid .This program would track a person prescription dispense by amount, type, date, time and by doctor. The system would also have the pain management center registry with the state that it’s in and track the amount of pills dispensed to a patient. The tracking system would greatly reduce the amount of pills that are issued on any level.
This system would also stop people from getting multiple Medicaid cards. Imagine if a person would go to a doctor office in a rural city and filled a prescription for addictive pain medications. Then that person drove to a different county and tried to commit Medicaid prescription fraud .This system would catch the shameful act at the front desk of that second doctor office. The physician at the time would notice this because the person is being tracked on a more global arrangement. Thus reducing the chance that a duplicate prescription or card is written.
Second, increase federal enforcement manpower .With local, state, and federal officials to help solve the prescription abuse problem and court who can hand down harsh sentences to help stop dealers and bad doctor who violate the law.“In September, one Cape Coral man was accused of doctor shopping and charged with 18 counts of fraud conceal information to obtain prescription controlled substance. He reportedly visited multiple doctors within a month and got at least $41,000 in drugs by not mentioning his other doctor visits.”(Tiffany, Repecki, 2011)
            A greater police presence on the streets would mean that the areas where drug activity is known to thrive could be reduced and/or eliminated in that area of the communities. “In a county wide sweep, Hillsborough County sheriffs prepared 88 warrants, with 45 arrests, thus far.  Authorities contend that while some of those arrested had legally obtained prescriptions for various medications, all suspects that were arrested were illegally selling their medications, with Oxycodone being the most prevalent drug netted.” (Save Our Society from Drugs, 2011)
Ensuring that drug dealers, doctors and users are taken to court where they are charged for their offences and sentenced according to the law will assist in solving the problem. Somewhat like the 10, 20, life law currently in Florida. When the system is seen as enforced by courts, there is less likelihood of a person taking the risk. For they know, that there is a great possibility of being caught and being placed next to a person called “Big Al”.
Next, educate the public because knowledge is power.  “In 2009, 16 million Americans 12 years of age and older had taken a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative for nonmedical purposes at least once in the year prior to being surveyed, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health”  (Barbara K. Hecht, PhD , Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD  ,2009).
There is an increase of miss-awareness with this issue. With the truth only a click away it’s incredible to think that some are still not fully engaged in this issue. “Drug addiction, also called substance dependence or chemical dependency, is a disease that is characterized by a destructive pattern of drug abuse that leads to significant problems involving tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance, as well as other problems that use of the substance can cause for the sufferer, either socially or in terms of their work or school performance. More than 2.6% of people suffer from drug addiction at some time in their life.” (Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD, Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD, 2011)
The reasons that some people often taking drugs is because that drugs make them feel good, because ‘drug act directly on the limbic, or “pleasure center” in the brain’ (people on drugs 2008).  During teenagers years the plan of action is to become popular among friends, dare to accept or deny any challenge such as smoking cigarette,  taking drugs with  friends, listening to music and clothes. “Peer pressure is large enough to influence society as a whole think about the effect on teenagers” (Keeping your home safe with Teens, 2010).
 All parents should be concerned with this one. Do you know what to look for? With many wide ranges of symptom, having a better understanding is the key to understanding this epidemic so that treatment and a sprinkle of intervention can begin for that individual. Here are some sign and symptoms to be aware of; someone who may be distant, always itching, not being completely honest, have a difference in attitude or falling asleep at different times during the day.
These are all common signs that a loved one may be addicted to pain pills. If you were to notice these signs and symptoms then I hope that the alarm in your head is blaring ……“Get help now!” Why? Because a person can take pain medications without abusing them but, oftentimes a person falls into the trap and eventually does slowly but surely start to abuse the medication.
“Although a pill may be needed for pain, there is a very strong abuse rate for two main reasons. First, they are hard to get off.   But most importantly, pain pills are addicting!” (Robyn Schelenz, 2009). All medications regardless of what they are or what they do should be taken with caution.
“Non-prescription medications include Tylenol, Excedrin, Ibuprofen, Motrin, Aleve, Advil, and many others. These can be used to get rid of the common headache, arthritis, or muscle and joint pain. In some cases it may take weeks before a specific medication starts to work, therefore making a person turn to another option” (Web MD., 2008). A person’s addiction not only affecting them but, it is also a good way to guarantee that their family separate and their social status read “Crushed” 
In this day and age of, rising unemployment, increased budget deficit, an economy on life support, and rapid information. Knowing about this societal menace is vital in solving the problems it creates. Human behavior is scary, dangerous and destructive.  A national database should be strategically implemented immediately! Not only is it a good idea. It’s the only option we have if were honestly trying to remove this stain in history. Let start to fix the issue “NOW!” Instead of starring the opposite direction because, it doesn’t affect our own lives. The legacy that we will leave our children has not been completely defined yet. We as a nation… a society, have a lot of work to do. The hardest part about fixing the issue is starting to fix the issue.

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