Beaumaster: Prescription Drug Abuse Needs Everyone’s Attention

For the last year Rice County has waged a “Take It to the Box” campaign, encouraging people to bring unused prescription drugs to black boxes found at law enforcement stations in and Faribault. You simply drop medications into the secure black box to dispose of them - no questions asked and all medications welcome.

The effort has accomplished much by educating the public about the dangers of prescription medications and the need to properly dispose of them. A common notion exists that prescribed drugs fall into a different class than street drugs. We presume they are safe to have around the house. While medication prescribed for patients may be necessary and safe for them, it is usually not safe for others, and can be deadly if consumed by anyone other than the person the medication is prescribed for.

Accumulating prescription medications at home can invite people with drug habits to look at your home as a source for drugs. I recently participated in a round table discussion at District One Hospital where law enforcement officers told stories of homes being burglarized not just for valuable items but drugs as well. Emergency room doctors said they are seeing an increase in young people showing up in the E.R. suffering from stimulant and opiate addiction, looking for prescriptions for more drugs. The value of prescription medication is not just the original cost, but what individual pills can be sold for on the street. Many individuals who start out using prescription medication eventually move to street drugs because they are cheaper, and the addict begins down the road of more dirty drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

As we age and live longer, prescription medications will multiply in order to deal with pain prevention and disease control. Doctors, dentists and pharmacists agree that the solution to prescription medication abuse is education and controlling the flow of pharmaceuticals to the street. Yet, “we the people” all want a pill to resolve our pain. The round table group I met with agreed they see narcotics being prescribed instead of treating the source of the pain or seeking long-term alternative relief methods. While trying to educate patients regarding alternatives to medication, pharmacists and physicians are often in a position of dealing with “drug-shopping” patients and forged prescriptions.

In Rice County we have two tracks which should be used to stop prescription drug abuse. First, if you are one of those people who are living longer with increasing need for health care, think about how you store your medication. Keep track of your use. Has any of your medication gone missing? Prescription drugs seem safer to young people. Maybe your grandchild or child thinks you will not miss a few pills. Locking up drugs should be considered in the same way as locking up guns for safety. It is important to educate young and old about the dangers of prescription drugs. And when you find you have surplus medications –TAKE IT TO THE BOX.

The second track is to stop people who are “shopping” for access. Our doctors and pharmacists need to be empowered to say “No” to individuals looking for a drug fix rather than pain relief. Pharmacists and doctors are hard pressed to always recognize the patient attempting to get yet another prescription for pills. Minnesota does have a system to check on who is obtaining prescription drugs. The prescription drug monitoring system helps physicians, pharmacists, and dentists identify prescription drug abuse, but it is not easily accessed and can be difficult to check in a busy setting. Physicians have an unequalled ability to help people identified as medication abusers to recognize their drug problem. Pharmacists and doctors can refer people to treatment and other sources of help for addiction.

At the end of the round table event, we agreed to work on a protocol of controlling and limiting the quantities of narcotic medications being prescribed and exploring alternatives to manage and control pain, including non-narcotic medications and other therapies. This is a simple change, but any change which limits the amount of prescription medications on the streets can have great impact and may save a life. 

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