OXY USAGE DOUBLES IN THREE YEARS

The prescription drug abuse epidemic in New York City is escalating,
with the number of prescriptions for oxycodone doubling citywide
during the past three years, the city's special narcotics prosecutor
testified Tuesday.

In 2010, more than 1 million prescriptions for oxycodone-the generic
name for an opiate-based pain reliever commonly prescribed as
OxyContin-were filled in the five boroughs, Bridget Brennan, the
city's special narcotics prosecutor, told the City Council's Public
Safety Committee.

That equates to one prescription for every eight people in New York
City, or 13% of the total population.

In 2007, half a million of these prescriptions were
filled.

"The public flat out needs to be better informed about how widespread
the problem is and how dangerously addictive these substances are,"
Ms. Brennan said. "It's pure opium. And that's an addictive drug. It's
nothing to be played with."

Staten Island is the borough most inundated with oxycodone, Ms.
Brennan testified. Last year, on a per-capita basis, the number of
oxycodone prescriptions filled in Staten Island represented an
"astounding" 28% of the borough's population, she said.

"If you combine that with the number of prescriptions filled for
Vicodin, you get to 33% of the population," she said.

In 2007, 6% of the special prosecutor's caseload was composed of
prescription drug-related arrests. The percentage more than doubled to
nearly 15% of the office's caseload in 2010.

"While the increasing numbers are a matter of concern, the violence
associated with the black market prescription drug trade is outright
alarming," Ms. Brennan said in her written testimony.

Many of her office's prescription drug investigations have led to
seizures of guns and, in some cases, small arsenals, she said. Last
month, officers investigating a suspected drug stash at an apartment
on Manhattan's Upper West Side found 350 oxycodone pills, plus crack
cocaine and three loaded semiautomatic handguns.

Ms. Brennan and each of the borough's five district attorneys, or
their representatives, testified Tuesday that Mayor Michael
Bloomberg's latest round of proposed funding cuts would be detrimental
to their offices.

In Ms. Brennan's case, the latest proposed cuts from the mayor would
bring her office's total loss in city funds during the past two years
to $1.65 million, or 11%. The funding loss, she testified, would
"render us really unable to fulfill our statutory duties, hard as we
would try."

Council Member Peter Vallone Jr., chairman of the council's Public
Safety Committee, said, "These startling figures show that a huge
percentage of New York City residents are legally-and illegally-using
extremely addictive prescription drugs."

"And while that number grows," he said, "this budget cuts the funding
to both prosecute and treat the problem."

Marc LaVorgna, a spokesman for Mr. Bloomberg, said, "We're forced to
make difficult reductions across government and we've proposed a much
smaller cut for the DAs than most other city agencies, just as we did
for the police and fire departments."

Council Member Lewis Fidler of Brooklyn, the council's assistant
majority leader, chronicled how drug abuse ravaged his family. Mr.
Fidler's nephew was addicted to heroin, the council member said at the
hearing. When his sister and brother-in-law attempted to get their son
help, he killed them, said Mr. Fidler, as he struggled to maintain his
composure.

Describing prescription drugs as a gateway to other drugs, Mr. Fidler
said he hoped they don't become "more prevalent in our society."

When he finished speaking, he quietly wiped away tears, as Council
Member Letitia James patted him on the arm.

Ms. Brennan said she is reaching out to various governmental agencies
to combat the growing epidemic.

"We're trying to get a handle on what's going on and how can we
address this problem," she said.

[sidebar]

Drug Up

Prescriptions for oxycodone - the generic name for a narcotic pain
reliever commonly prescrived as OxyContin - has jumped in New York
City during the past three years:

Location / Change in presciptions 2007 - 10 / Number of prescriptions
per 100 residents in 2010

Staten Island / 98% / 28

Manhatten / 65% / 13

Bronx / 116% / 17

Queens / 95% / 10

Brooklyn / 120% / 10