PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE HAS FATAL CONSEQUENCES

Florida citizens beware. The number of drug-related deaths in the
state continues to rise. According to a recent report released by the
Medical Examiners Office, 7,741 people died in Florida last year as
the result of a drug overdose or had drugs present in their systems at
the time of their death.

The report indicates that prescription drugs and cocaine are the
greatest causes of these deaths. A common misconception is that
prescription drugs are invariably safe because they are legal and
regulated in a medical context. Even though a drug is prescribed by a
physician, it may be very harmful, even deadly, when taken
inappropriately or without supervision.

Prescription drugs are important in treating illness and pain;
however, they are contributing to nearly three times the number of
deaths than illegal drugs. Unsecured home medicine cabinets and the
Internet are easy venues for anyone seeking to obtain drugs without a
proper medical examination and a legitimate prescription.

Some of the more common prescription drugs which contributed to
numerous deaths last year include benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and
Valium, that resulted in 553 deaths; legal opioids, such as methadone,
oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), and hydrocodone (Lorcet, Vicodin)
resulted in more than 1,900 deaths.

To reverse this trend we must continue to reduce the demand and supply
of illegal drugs and diverted pharmaceuticals. We must secure our
medicine cabinets and continue to seek ways to prevent the diversion
of prescription drugs from pill mills and doctor shoppers. We need
better regulations on internet prescribing practices and sales. And we
must continue to educate our families and communities about the tragic
consequences of prescription drug abuse.

Bill Janes, Director, Governor's Office of Drug Control

Tallahassee