Pubdate: Fri, 09 Oct 2009
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271

ARE HIGHWAYS BECOMING SAFER THAN DRUGS?

Statistics released in the United States reveal that in 16 states - 
or almost one-third - drug overdoses will kill more people than car accidents.

According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the drug-related 
death rate has doubled in less than 10 years.

And we are not talking about heroin or hard drugs necessarily but 
prescription drugs, many of which are being abused.

Although it is true cocaine and heroin are common overdose killers, 
most of the increase is due to prescribed opiates such as methadone, 
Oxycontin and Vicodin.

Worse, death rates rose for all age groups.

Our neighbours working in Seattle reported half the deaths from 
overdoses came from legal prescriptions.

Researchers believe the rising death rate may be caused by the change 
in how doctors prescribe painkillers.

It is estimated about one in five U.S. adults and one in 10 
adolescents are prescribed an opiate each year.

Although 90 per cent of the deaths accounted for in the study came 
from sudden death due to overdoses, about 10 per cent of the deaths 
was caused by organ damage inflicted by long-term opiate use.

The study did not count other drug-related deaths such as accidents 
caused by impairment or HIV infection resulting from the abuse of 
injected drugs.

In Massachusetts, there was double the number of drug fatalities 
compared with traffic deaths, while Michigan had about 500 more drug 
deaths than vehicle fatalities.

In New York, drugs killed 350 more people than car accidents.

Is this the picture for Canada, especially British Columbia?

The best guess is "no," but it is difficult to ferret out numbers.

One advantage the B.C. medical system has is the computerized 
database that emergency rooms and other physicians can access to 
determine if someone is receiving narcotics on a regular basis and 
from more than one physician - an indication of abuse.

Despite the checks and balances, prescription painkillers are abused 
on a regular basis and it becomes very difficult for patients with 
legitimate pain, as the dosage of the narcotic has to increase over 
time to have the same painkilling effect.

But, as many people now know, taking pain killers over extended 
periods of time not only causes addiction, damages internal organs, 
and causes impairment in driving or other activities, but it also 
increases peoples' perception of pain.

They begin to suffer more.

Prescribed narcotics are widely sold on the street, and sometimes 
morphine and codeine have been reported for sale for as little as 
three dollars each.

Low prices mean supply is readily available and something to be 
concerned about.

If you require narcotics to manage your pain, talk to your physician 
about alternative ways to manage pain.

In many studies, meditation and hypnosis proved as effective - for 
some people moreso - than narcotics.

Thank you for reading Mental Health Matters and write to us about 
your thoughts on prescribed narcotics a  ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom