MORE OVERDOSES THAN HOMICIDES IN LOUISVILLE

Police Fight To Contain Prescription Drugs

LOUISVILLE (AP) - More people in Jefferson County have died from
prescription drug overdoses than in homicides this year.

Through July, 28 people died in homicide cases, and 36 people died from
overdosing on prescription drugs such as OxyContin and hydrocodone.

Taken correctly, the pills are powerful painkillers, but when abused they
produce intense rushes that can stop a person's heart.

"Homicides get publicized," said Jefferson County Deputy Coroner R.D.
Jones. "Overdoses, whether accident or intentional, they don't get publicized."

Officials with the coroner's office said they've seen an increase in the
past two years in deaths from prescription overdoses, though precise
numbers for past years aren't available because the office is just now
becoming computerized. Statistics for August and September aren't available
because toxicology tests have not been completed.

The increase in fatal overdoses highlights a problem police said they've
been dealing with for years. And their fear is that until all pharmacists
and doctors understand how to recognize and stop prescription drug fraud,
the number of overdoses will only grow. The issue became front-page news
two weeks ago when Oldham County authorities released information about a
19-year-old man who died at a party after taking OxyContin that had been
stolen from a Jefferson County pharmacy.

"How many more deaths do we have to have?" said Sgt. Bill Stivers, who
oversees the Louisville Metro Police drug diversion unit. "Isn't one too
many? These aren't just pills; these are controlled substances killing people."

So far this year, Stivers' squad has arrested more than 215 people on
charges related to prescription drug fraud, accusing them of posing as
doctors, burglarizing pharmacies and stealing blank pads of green
prescription forms. In an attempt to stem the illegal use of prescription
drugs, Louisville police said, they must couple enforcement with more
education on what pharmacists and physicians should look for to recognize
drug fraud.

"We're no longer chasing the cocaine dealer, the crack user," Stivers said.
"What we're chasing now is a little green piece of paper" -- the
state-mandated prescription form for controlled substances.

Last week, pharmacist Scotty Sears of Scotty's Pharmacy told Louisville
Metro Police of a woman who recently tried to alter her prescription by
increasing the quantity.

Sears said he has seen fraudulent prescriptions at his pharmacy before and
now analyzes every new prescription for a controlled substance.

"Some people are always trying to get by with something," Sears said.

Stivers presents seminars on the scams involved in prescription fraud, and
the police department has created a brochure full of "red flags" physicians
and pharmacists can look for.