FRANKFORT, Ky. - A recent report from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet confirmed what many already knew, prescription drug use in the state has increased along with abuse and drug-related arrest. The information comes from the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System (KASPER) and was printed in the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics in the Commonwealth, 2007. Data from the report shows "the rate of prescriptions dispensed for controlled substances increased in 118 of Kentucky's 120 counties between 2005 and 2007."
Five of those counties, Clinton, Magoffin, Whitley, Bell and Owsley, averaged more than four controlled substance prescriptions dispensed per resident, the information noted.
"Despite enhanced law enforcement efforts and the many successes of KASPER, the misuse, abuse and illegal sale of prescription drugs continue to plague the Commonwealth," said Justice and Public Safety Secretary J. Michael Brown. "Although we remain vigilant in our efforts to curtail illegal use and abuse, this remains a significant challenge for the Commonwealth."
Van Ingram, executive director of the Office of Drug Control Policy said there was about a 13 percent increase in the number of prescriptions written between 2005 and 2007.
"This is not blood pressure or cholesterol medicine, it's controlled substances, Schedule II-IV," he said. "Certainly these substances have a tendency for abuse. If you are in chronic pain, they're very good and do what they are supposed to do, but if you're not in chronic pain or using more than prescribed or using them in such a way as snorting them or injecting them, that can become very dangerous."
Schedule II-IV drugs as defined by the Controlled Substances Act can include such drugs as morphine, oxycodone which is commonly used in the brand name OxyContin and anabolic steroids.
Ingram noted that the more drugs that are out there, the more potential for abuse. "We know from the National Household Survey that a large percentage of young people that abuse drugs don't get them from a doctor. They get them from friends, family or acquaintances whether being bought, stolen or just given to them," he said.
Ingram also said a better job needs to be done in disposing of drugs once they are no longer needed and in keeping track of controlled substances once they are prescribed by doing pill counts for instance to make sure the drugs are not being diverted.
"We have to do a better job of treating these things as seriously as they are," he said.
Ingram pointed out the double-edged sword the medical community faces when it comes to the abuse of prescribed medicines.
"We've been meeting with different medical associations recently and they are aware of the problem and trying to make their membership as aware as possible," he said. "They recognize their role and partnership in trying to help us reduce prescription drug abuse. But, also they're kind of in a catch-22 because they've taken an oath to help people and treat their pain and they have an obligation to do that, as well. It's a difficult road."
Preston P. Nunnelley, M.D, board president of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure (KBML) said the organization is doing all it can to work with law enforcement and physicians alike to remedy the problem.
"The KBML is deeply concerned about prescription drug abuse in Kentucky, and works vigilantly to ensure physicians prescribe appropriately. In addition to educating physicians about appropriate guidelines for prescribing controlled substances, we also work closely with the KASPER program, law enforcement, and others to identify areas of drug abuse," he said. "We also continue to work with all stakeholders to reduce the amount of controlled substances that are legally obtained by patients from all healthcare providers and diverted to others. The KBML is committed to finding and enforcing a solution to the Commonwealth's problem of prescription drug abuse."
As the rise in the number of prescriptions has increased so has the amount of illegal activities connected to those drugs.
The Sourcebook contains official law enforcement statistics indicating the rise in illegal prescription drug activity.
The report notes that, according to the Kentucky State Police, "prescription drug related offenses rose 23.6 percent and arrests rose 6.3 percent between 2006 and 2007. The greatest percentage of prescription drug-related offenses and arrests were related to possession. Data from the Administrative Office of the Courts mirrors this increase in prescription drug related activity. The total number of prescription drug related cases in Kentucky's court system increased 22 percent between 2003 and 2007, reaching a five-year high of 7,136 cases in 2007."
Sheriff Troy Young of Anderson County who serves on the board of the Kentucky Sheriff's Association said the situation is widespread and has a lot to do with easy access of the drugs.
"It doesn't matter whether it is a rural or urban area, we're seeing the same thing even in small counties with the main thing being how easily accessible it is," he said. "For people that abuse it especially on the younger level, high school age and those in their early teens, they are getting into their parents' or grandparents' medicine cabinets and going 'shopping.'"
Young added that with access to the internet, abusers can learn quickly information about the drugs, many of which are easily concealed in soft drinks or crushed and snorted. He also said he thinks the recreational user is a bigger problem right now, something that could well be fueling other crimes.
"I think for parents, they should be a lot more careful with their prescription drugs. They don't leave home now without locking their doors, do the same with the medicine cabinet," said Young. "There is a tie between prescription drugs abuse and other crimes; it's sort of like a domino effect. I don't think stopping drug abuse is a cure-all for stopping other crimes but I do think it is one factor."
Young said that the war on drugs will never stop but law enforcement has a better handle on it than ever before but they have to keep it up. "We can't afford to be satisfied because the criminals or drug dealers are constantly changing and we have to stay up on things as much as they do," he said.
Other information
The Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics in the Commonwealth is published annually by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's Kentucky Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) which brings together data from all components of the criminal justice system. According to information released by the Justice Cabinet, other key findings in the Sourcebook include: