Pubdate: Tue, 10 Apr 2001
Source: CNN (US Web)
Copyright: 2001 Cable News Network, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.cnn.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/65
Author: Jonathan Aiken, Special to CNN

'ON THE BACK BURNER'

City Targets Illegal Prescription Drug Trade

CINCINNATI, Ohio (CNN) -- Nearly every day, in every city and state in the 
United States, prescription drugs are being diverted from their legal use. 
"Thirty percent of the overall drug problem in America is prescription 
drugs," said Sgt. Kerry Rowland of the Cincinnati Police Department.

As commander of America's only full-time drug diversion unit, Rowland 
should know. For 10years, law enforcement officials said, it has set a 
national standard, tracking almost 22,000 bogus prescriptions and keeping a 
steady inventory o what drug sells for how much on the street.

For instance, there's one muscle relaxant that sells for $3 to $4 a tablet 
on the street. Some addicts combine it with the painkiller Vicodin at$6 a 
tablet. Together, police explained, they create a heroin high that lasts 
for hours for less than $10.

Focus On Health Workers

As in any major city, Cincinnati's drug diversion problem isn't limited to 
an open-air market in a single neighborhood. It's everywhere there are 
people, anywhere you find a hospital, pharmacy or doctor's office.

The unit has focused on doctors, nurses and hospital workers who divert 
drugs for their own use. Of 250 felony arrests in 1999, 30 percent involved 
health care professionals.

"We arrested a health professional every seven days and once every 10 days, 
a nurse was arrested," Rowland said.

One such woman, a nurse for 21 years, is an alcoholic who stole Demerol 
from hospital supply cabinets. She has been arrested twice.

"You're horrified. You're absolutely, totally horrified. Your whole life 
comes crashing down. Your secret's out that you've tried so hard to hide," 
she said.

Even an honest prescription can make a physician an unwitting accomplice to 
the problem.

'On The Back Burner'

The street trade in prescription drugs is supplied by doctor-shoppers: 
people who visit a dozen doctors a day, get prescriptions for specific 
drugs, then sell those drugs illegally.

"They'll go to doctors' offices and steal prescription pads, and once they 
get those prescription pads, many times they're off and running," Rowland said.

Drug diversion experts said despite the size of the problem, police 
departments across the country dedicate few resources to fight it.

"Their unit commanders want them to target the illicit street drugs -- the 
heroin and cocaine -- so that the pharmaceutical drugs are definitely put 
on the back burner," said Charlie Cichon of the National Association of 
Drug Diversion Investigators.

Experts like Cichon say if Cincinnati is arresting health care workers so 
frequently, just think how bad the problem is in cities like New 
York,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas -- none of 
which has a special unit to target drug diversion.
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