Examining  What’s  Happening  Across  America  

April  10-­‐12,  2012  Walt  Disney  World  Swan  Resort  

Accepted  Learning  Objec?ves:  

1.  Analyze  the  characteris?cs  of  effec?ve  programs  designed  to  reduce  the  growth  of  prescrip?on  drug  abuse  and  provide  evidence-­‐based  programs  that  can  be  replicated  in  rural  and  urban  communi?es.  

2.  Iden?fy  common-­‐interest  issues  related  to  grassroots  preven?on  and  treatment  programs.  

3.  Describe  available  resources  to  advocate  for  change,  with  specific  focus  on  model    state  drug  laws.  

Disclosure Statement

•  Frances Harding, Robert Morrison, Sherry Green and Steve Pasierb have  disclosed no relevant, real or apparent personal or professional financial relationships.

The  Complex  Issue  of    Prescrip3on  Drug  Abuse:    The  Role  of  Preven3on  

Frances  M.  Harding,  Director  SAMHSA’s  Center  for  Substance  Abuse  Preven?on  

SAMHSA  VISION    5  

What  Do  Americans    Believe  About  AddicEon?  

… and about one in three think less of someone currently addicted

… and three-quarters think recovery is possible

Yet, two-thirds think addiction can be prevented …

Only one in five think less of a friend/relative in recovery from an addiction …

The  Impact  of  PrescripEon  Drug  Abuse  

•  Prescrip?on  drug  overdose  deaths  now  exceed  deaths  from  cocaine  and  heroin.    

•  American  deaths  from  prescrip?on  drug  overdoses  are  now  second  only  to  motor  vehicle  fatali?es.  

•  Non-­‐medical  use  of  prescrip?on  painkillers:  $72.5  billion  annually  in  direct  health  care  costs  to  health  insurers.    

The  Impact  of  PrescripEon  Drug  Abuse  

•  In  2009,  50  percent  of  all  drug-­‐related  emergency  department  visits  involved  nonmedical  use  of  prescrip?on  or  over-­‐the-­‐counter  drugs.  

•  40  percent  of  teens  think  prescrip?on  drugs  are  “much  safer”  than  illegal  drugs.  

•  55  percent  of  persons  12  and  up  who  used  prescrip?on  pain  relievers  nonmedically  in  the  past  year  received  them  from  a  friend  or  relayive  for  free.  

•  Number  of  drug-­‐dependent  newborns  has  doubled,  tripled,  or  more  over  the  past  decade.  

PrescripEon  Drug  Abuse  Affects  Everyone  

•       Sadly,  the  data  show  that  infants  are  born              dependent  on  painkillers.  

o         In  Florida:  the  number  of  babies  with    withdrawal  syndrome  soared  from  354    in  

2006  to  1.374  in  2010  –  a  rise  of    almost  300  percent.  

•       Teens  get  prescrip?ons  from  friends  and  family:  

o     From  the  medicine  cabinet  o     From  fellow  students  

•         Adults  and  older  people,  too,  are  affected.  

A  NaEonal  Call  to  AcEon  

NaEonal  PrescripEon  Drug  Abuse  PrevenEon  Strategy  

•  Prescriber  and  consumer  educa?on/awareness  

•  Expanded  and  enhanced  use  of  prescrip?on  drug  monitoring  programs.  

•  Educa?on/awareness  about  safe  disposal  of  unused  medicines.  

PrescripEon  Drug  Monitoring  Programs  

Source:  The  Na-onal  Alliance  for  Model  State  Drug  Laws    

InformaEon  is  Power  

CommuniEes  Are  Making  a  Difference  

Let’s  Work  Together  to  Stop  This  

Collabora3on  is  the  Key!  

       Center  for  Behavioral  Health  StaEsEcs  and  Quality         Center  for  Mental  Health  Services         Center  for  Substance  Abuse  PrevenEon         Center  for  Substance  Abuse  Treatment  

www.samhsa.gov