Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Source: Roane County News (TN)
Copyright: 2005 Roane County News
Contact:  http://www.roanecounty.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1703
Author: Cindy Simpson

ROANE COUNTY: MEDICAL PROFESSION CAN HELP REDUCE PRESCRIPTION ABUSE

Drug abuse is a leading cause of death, officials said at a drug 
awareness forum at Roane State Community College last week.

Officials in the medical and law profession, as well as community 
members who have seen the impact of drugs, made presentations during 
the forum held in conjunction with the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition.

Medical personnel Bill Bennett and Tom Boduch focused on the impact 
the abuse of prescription narcotics has had on the community.

Bennett said the Roane County coroner has been at 28 scene 
investigations this year. Of those investigations, 12 were narcotic 
overdoses, six were suicides and three were homicides.

"The use of opiate pain medications for recreation has bloomed. Only 
through education of people like you can something be done," Bennett said.

Bennett said in some part it is a failure of the medical profession 
that such abuse has been allowed to occur.

Boduch agreed that something must to be done to check the 
prescriptions people receive.

"There is a line between the appropriate amount of medication versus 
prescribing longer than needed, getting the patient hooked," Boduch said.

The biggest problem is drug diversion, where individuals use 
prescription narcotics that are not prescribed to them for recreational use.

Boduch described preventative methods used by pain clinics.

At these clinics, they perform drug tests to ensure the patient tests 
positive for the drug they are supposed to be taking and that they 
are not selling the drugs for profit.

Both Judge Dennis Humphrey and District Attorney Scott McCluen talked 
about the judicial side of the issue.

One method Humphrey said he can use to deter illegal drug use is to 
set bond orders, placing individuals on supervised probation even 
before trial. With this, the bond will be set lower, because the 
individual will be paying a probation officer. They are also subject 
to drug testing.

McCluen said his department is seeing three types of problems from drug use.

Those area are the location of the sale and delivery of drugs, meth 
use and drug diversion.

McCluen is working with authorities to try to prosecute dealers and 
abusers as habitual offenders so they'll face stiffer punishment.

A person must get three felony convictions to be labeled habitual.

"I am trying to graduate a group of people and asking the courts to 
take them off the street," McCluen said.

McCluen said because of new legislation on products common in the 
production of meth, his office is seeing fewer meth labs. He also 
said Tenn-Care is cracking down on drug diversion, cutting down on 
the abuse somewhat.

Finishing up the presentation was Harriman Police Chief Jack Stockton.

Stockton focused on methamphetamine use, playing a video he shows at 
his meth education classes.

He told the audience that Harriman has issued over 200 drug-related 
charges this year, down from over 800 in 1999. Of those charges, 
eight meth-related arrests were made.

Also present at the event were Donna Forstrom and Doug Jackson.

Forstrom, whose son, Clayton Smith, died because of prescription drug 
misuse, heads up a program called Clayton's Lesson - named after the 
former Oliver Springs High School student.

It is dedicated to educating students about drug use.

Jackson also described how his son, Josh, died of an overdose at his home.

Jackson is the chairman of the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman