Photo Illustration By: Cady Herring
Prescription drug abuse has become a nationwide epidemic, and it is worsening at a rapid rate. The number of deaths due to prescription drug abuse has tripled since 1990. According to CDC statistics, 27,000 people died from a prescription drug overdose in 2007—that’s one person every 19 minutes.
The death rate quadrupled from 1999 to 2011 from prescription painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin.
Each state has different laws pertaining to the overuse of prescription drugs, some of them with up to seven laws, and some with none at all.
The state of Mississippi has three laws; one requiring a physical examination before prescribing, one requiring tamper-resistant prescription forms and one setting prescription drug limits for the prescriber. The Mississippi State Department of Health stated that 90 percent of Mississippi overdoses in 2012 were due to prescription drugs.
Men have the highest number of overdose rates and are about twice as likely to overdose as women, but everyone is at risk. From workers taking prescribed medications for injuries to veterans and the elderly to children and teens, no one is risk-free from an overdose, including Ole Miss students.
“I’m sure kids double up when trying to study or pull an all-nighter,” senior journalism major Amber Murphy said. “I think it’s scary because I know not everyone who is taking it is even prescribed.”
Easy access to prescription drugs is a huge factor when abusing drugs like Adderall and Vyvanse. These CNS Stimulants, along with sedatives and anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs. Narcotic painkillers such as hydrocodone are abused as well, according to Director of University Health Services Dr. Travis Yates.
These drugs are most commonly abused among students on campus, possibly to study all night in hopes to improve their grades or perhaps to escape the reality that many college students have to face every day.
Prescription drugs are easy for teens to access either from friends or classmates and, often, from their medicine cabinet at home. Doctor shopping is another way people are acquiring these drugs at a rapid rate, which means seeking care from multiple physicians simultaneously without informing them.
Prescription drugs require a prescription because they are so powerful and can be detrimental to one’s health. Although prescription drugs are generally easier to best online casino acquire than street drugs such as meth or heroine, that does not make them any less harmful, particularly when one is abusing them. Yates mentioned students should be reminded that unlawful diversion of controlled medications is a felony offense.
An overdose does not always mean death, although it is not uncommon.
The state of Mississippi has created a Prescription Monitoring Program managed by the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy to help prevent the abuse of prescription drugs. According to Yates, who has access to this database, it is an excellent resource to help reduce “doctor shopping.” If a provider is questionable about a patient seeking drugs, he or she can access the database and investigate if the patient has received similar prescriptions from other sources.
Several programs like this, as well as sites like drugfree.org, are available to the public to tell the stories of those who have lost loved ones and are determined to put a stop to prescription drug abuse. They provide information on risks and where to seek help.
If one is seeking help with prescription drug abuse in the Oxford area, the Oxford Centre and the Tri-Lakes Hospital in Batesville offer inpatient care. The University Counseling Center is also available.
“The reality is that the university does not control an individual student’s behavior. It is the student’s responsibility to make responsible choices and use their prescription medications appropriately,” Yates said. “We can increase awareness through educational and communication efforts with the goal of enhancing responsible health oriented choices.”
