Despite Efforts To Curb Abuse, Opioid Epidemic Takes Growing Toll On San Diego
Law enforcement officials say attempts to curtail prescription drug abuse have caused some people to turn to heroin, which can be cheaper and easier to obtain.
KPBS Public Media:
Prescription Drug Abuse Continues To Take Toll In San Diego
The county's 2016 Prescription Drug Abuse Report Card shows 248 people died last year from an overdose. Compared to the previous year, the number of people who were treated in an emergency room for problems with prescription painkillers rose by 20 percent. Law enforcement officials said more and more of the prescription narcotics sold on the street are laced with dangerous drugs like fentanyl. (Goldberg, 10/20)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Prescription-Drug Abuse Still High In San Diego County
San Diego County’s public-health and law-enforcement leaders have focused intensely on fighting prescription-drug abuse in recent years, from promoting places to safely drop off unwanted medications to increasing access to treatment programs. Despite those efforts, a report released Thursday said the number of prescription-drug-related deaths increased slightly — to 248 cases — last year. The county’s annual Prescription Drug Abuse Report Card also found that painkiller use among 11th-graders rose a bit in the same year. (Sisson, 10/20)
Meanwhile, in other news on the crisis —
Orange County Register:
Westminster Doctor Accused Of Negligence In 4 Drug Overdose Deaths
A Westminster doctor faces possible discipline by the state Medical Board for allegedly excessively prescribing addictive drugs to four patients who died of overdoses, according to legal documents made public this week. Dr. Doanh Andrew Nguyen is accused of gross negligence, excessive prescribing, prescribing to addicts and incompetence. Through an office assistant, Nguyen declined to comment Thursday. The documents say that between 2005 and 2012, Nguyen excessively prescribed drugs, including opiate painkillers and anxiety medication, to four unidentified patients who all died under his care. Three of the patients were also receiving controlled substances from other doctors, the documents say. (Perkes, 10/20)