Legal Drugs Kill Far More Than Illegal, Florida Says
Submitted by lastmovement on Sun, 06/15/2008 - 05:52
MIAMI — From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal habit.
An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.
Law enforcement officials said that the shift toward prescription-drug abuse, which began here about eight years ago, showed no sign of letting up and that the state must do more to control it.
http://waronyou.com/2008/06/legal-drugs-kill-far-more-than-i...
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I wish
the article was more detailed. I'm curious how many of those people were using the drugs as perscribed and how many were using them for recreational purposes. In other words, how many people were overdosed by their doctors and how many did it to themselves. Both my Father-in-law and my brother's mother-in-law were overprescribed coumadin and both nearly died. I know coumadin is not a recreational drug, I'm just using it as an example of what I feel is a pervasive problem.
That being said, I have no doubt that deliberate prescription drug abuse is on the rise. A police officer recently lectured at our school and said the same thing. Factors included the increased ability to detect other drug use. The availabilty - many kids will get them from parents or grandparents medicine cabinet. Many sell their own ADD or depression related prescriptions. He also said it was difficult for kids to understand why a drug that is helping someone close to them is harmful for them.
From the time we are born we are given medication for every little ache. We grow up believing all physical problems need a pill. My 16 year old daughter just tallied her friends and at least 60% are currently on prescription medication for behavior related problems. Those are the ones she's sure of. So under the circumstances it's easy to see where all this would lead.
For the record my daughter is a girl scout going for her gold award.
My daughter says that whenever anyone acts odd everyone will ask "Have you taken your meds?