Wyoming Rx Drug Deaths Doubled In Past 4 Years

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http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Wyoming.health.department.2.1123966.html

Aug 11, 2009 6:44 pm US/Mountain

Wyoming Rx Drug Deaths Doubled In Past 4 Years

MATT JOYCE, Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE,

Wyo. (AP) ―

Deaths in Wyoming linked to prescription drug abuse more than doubled

from 2005 to 2008, according to statistics released Tuesday by the

Wyoming Department of Health.

A department review of official death records in its Vital Statistics

Services Program found that the number of prescription drug deaths grew

from 50 in 2005 to 103 in 2008. The deaths include cases where drugs

were either a primary or secondary cause of death. There were 90 such

deaths in 2006 and 96 in 2007.

Some Wyoming authorities have expressed concern about a growing

prescription drug abuse problem in the state. But the health

department's new numbers are the first statewide look at the death toll.

Prescription drug deaths are outpacing those caused by heroin or

cocaine: There was one heroin-related death and nine cocaine-related

deaths over the past four years in Wyoming, the department said.

"These statistics certainly demonstrate an alarming increase in

prescription medication-related deaths and should be an eye opener for

many Wyoming residents," said Rodger Mc, the department's deputy

director for mental health and substance abuse services.

Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday that it

has seen a 400 percent increase in investigations into illegal

prescription drug activity during the last four years.

The division averaged about five investigations per year from 2000 to

2004. The number grew to 22 in 2008 and is on track to surpass that

this year, said Kebin Haller, the division's deputy director.

"Typically we're involved with the methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,

marijuana type of investigations, but we have seen in the past couple

of years the large increase in demand to focus our attention on

prescription drugs," Haller said.

Haller said it's not uncommon to see 80-milligram OxyContin pills

selling for $100 on the street.

"That is the going rate throughout the state from what we've seen," he

said. "This problem is not isolated to one particular area. We've seen

an increase in these types of investigations statewide."

Roxanne Homar, the state pharmacist, said abused prescription drugs

include the pain relievers OxyContin, Hydrocodone and Vicodin;

depressants like Valium and Xanax; and stimulants such as Ritalin and

Adderall.

Haller said users and dealers of illegal prescription drugs get them by

fraud, forgery and theft. Thieves sometimes steal from their family

members, or they access homes by posing as utility workers or

interested parties at real estate open houses, he said.

Some users also get the drugs through "doctor shopping." That's when

patients searching for particular prescriptions visit multiple

physicians in different locations, including in neighboring states, to

get an abundance of the drug, Homar said.

Rankin, U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, recently formed the Rx Abuse

Stakeholders group to address prescription drug abuse in Wyoming. It

plans to meet this October in Buffalo for what Rankin expects to be the

first of an annual series of meetings.

(© 2009 The Associated Press.

[Guest guest]

http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Wyoming.health.department.2.1123966.html

Aug 11, 2009 6:44 pm US/Mountain

Wyoming Rx Drug Deaths Doubled In Past 4 Years

MATT JOYCE, Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE,

Wyo. (AP) ―

Deaths in Wyoming linked to prescription drug abuse more than doubled

from 2005 to 2008, according to statistics released Tuesday by the

Wyoming Department of Health.

A department review of official death records in its Vital Statistics

Services Program found that the number of prescription drug deaths grew

from 50 in 2005 to 103 in 2008. The deaths include cases where drugs

were either a primary or secondary cause of death. There were 90 such

deaths in 2006 and 96 in 2007.

Some Wyoming authorities have expressed concern about a growing

prescription drug abuse problem in the state. But the health

department's new numbers are the first statewide look at the death toll.

Prescription drug deaths are outpacing those caused by heroin or

cocaine: There was one heroin-related death and nine cocaine-related

deaths over the past four years in Wyoming, the department said.

"These statistics certainly demonstrate an alarming increase in

prescription medication-related deaths and should be an eye opener for

many Wyoming residents," said Rodger Mc, the department's deputy

director for mental health and substance abuse services.

Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday that it

has seen a 400 percent increase in investigations into illegal

prescription drug activity during the last four years.

The division averaged about five investigations per year from 2000 to

2004. The number grew to 22 in 2008 and is on track to surpass that

this year, said Kebin Haller, the division's deputy director.

"Typically we're involved with the methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,

marijuana type of investigations, but we have seen in the past couple

of years the large increase in demand to focus our attention on

prescription drugs," Haller said.

Haller said it's not uncommon to see 80-milligram OxyContin pills

selling for $100 on the street.

"That is the going rate throughout the state from what we've seen," he

said. "This problem is not isolated to one particular area. We've seen

an increase in these types of investigations statewide."

Roxanne Homar, the state pharmacist, said abused prescription drugs

include the pain relievers OxyContin, Hydrocodone and Vicodin;

depressants like Valium and Xanax; and stimulants such as Ritalin and

Adderall.

Haller said users and dealers of illegal prescription drugs get them by

fraud, forgery and theft. Thieves sometimes steal from their family

members, or they access homes by posing as utility workers or

interested parties at real estate open houses, he said.

Some users also get the drugs through "doctor shopping." That's when

patients searching for particular prescriptions visit multiple

physicians in different locations, including in neighboring states, to

get an abundance of the drug, Homar said.

Rankin, U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, recently formed the Rx Abuse

Stakeholders group to address prescription drug abuse in Wyoming. It

plans to meet this October in Buffalo for what Rankin expects to be the

first of an annual series of meetings.

(© 2009 The Associated Press.

[Guest guest]

http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Wyoming.health.department.2.1123966.html

Aug 11, 2009 6:44 pm US/Mountain

Wyoming Rx Drug Deaths Doubled In Past 4 Years

MATT JOYCE, Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE,

Wyo. (AP) ―

Deaths in Wyoming linked to prescription drug abuse more than doubled

from 2005 to 2008, according to statistics released Tuesday by the

Wyoming Department of Health.

A department review of official death records in its Vital Statistics

Services Program found that the number of prescription drug deaths grew

from 50 in 2005 to 103 in 2008. The deaths include cases where drugs

were either a primary or secondary cause of death. There were 90 such

deaths in 2006 and 96 in 2007.

Some Wyoming authorities have expressed concern about a growing

prescription drug abuse problem in the state. But the health

department's new numbers are the first statewide look at the death toll.

Prescription drug deaths are outpacing those caused by heroin or

cocaine: There was one heroin-related death and nine cocaine-related

deaths over the past four years in Wyoming, the department said.

"These statistics certainly demonstrate an alarming increase in

prescription medication-related deaths and should be an eye opener for

many Wyoming residents," said Rodger Mc, the department's deputy

director for mental health and substance abuse services.

Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday that it

has seen a 400 percent increase in investigations into illegal

prescription drug activity during the last four years.

The division averaged about five investigations per year from 2000 to

2004. The number grew to 22 in 2008 and is on track to surpass that

this year, said Kebin Haller, the division's deputy director.

"Typically we're involved with the methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,

marijuana type of investigations, but we have seen in the past couple

of years the large increase in demand to focus our attention on

prescription drugs," Haller said.

Haller said it's not uncommon to see 80-milligram OxyContin pills

selling for $100 on the street.

"That is the going rate throughout the state from what we've seen," he

said. "This problem is not isolated to one particular area. We've seen

an increase in these types of investigations statewide."

Roxanne Homar, the state pharmacist, said abused prescription drugs

include the pain relievers OxyContin, Hydrocodone and Vicodin;

depressants like Valium and Xanax; and stimulants such as Ritalin and

Adderall.

Haller said users and dealers of illegal prescription drugs get them by

fraud, forgery and theft. Thieves sometimes steal from their family

members, or they access homes by posing as utility workers or

interested parties at real estate open houses, he said.

Some users also get the drugs through "doctor shopping." That's when

patients searching for particular prescriptions visit multiple

physicians in different locations, including in neighboring states, to

get an abundance of the drug, Homar said.

Rankin, U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, recently formed the Rx Abuse

Stakeholders group to address prescription drug abuse in Wyoming. It

plans to meet this October in Buffalo for what Rankin expects to be the

first of an annual series of meetings.

(© 2009 The Associated Press.

[Guest guest]

http://cbs4denver.com/wireapnewswy/Wyoming.health.department.2.1123966.html

Aug 11, 2009 6:44 pm US/Mountain

Wyoming Rx Drug Deaths Doubled In Past 4 Years

MATT JOYCE, Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE,

Wyo. (AP) ―

Deaths in Wyoming linked to prescription drug abuse more than doubled

from 2005 to 2008, according to statistics released Tuesday by the

Wyoming Department of Health.

A department review of official death records in its Vital Statistics

Services Program found that the number of prescription drug deaths grew

from 50 in 2005 to 103 in 2008. The deaths include cases where drugs

were either a primary or secondary cause of death. There were 90 such

deaths in 2006 and 96 in 2007.

Some Wyoming authorities have expressed concern about a growing

prescription drug abuse problem in the state. But the health

department's new numbers are the first statewide look at the death toll.

Prescription drug deaths are outpacing those caused by heroin or

cocaine: There was one heroin-related death and nine cocaine-related

deaths over the past four years in Wyoming, the department said.

"These statistics certainly demonstrate an alarming increase in

prescription medication-related deaths and should be an eye opener for

many Wyoming residents," said Rodger Mc, the department's deputy

director for mental health and substance abuse services.

Meanwhile, the Division of Criminal Investigation said Tuesday that it

has seen a 400 percent increase in investigations into illegal

prescription drug activity during the last four years.

The division averaged about five investigations per year from 2000 to

2004. The number grew to 22 in 2008 and is on track to surpass that

this year, said Kebin Haller, the division's deputy director.

"Typically we're involved with the methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,

marijuana type of investigations, but we have seen in the past couple

of years the large increase in demand to focus our attention on

prescription drugs," Haller said.

Haller said it's not uncommon to see 80-milligram OxyContin pills

selling for $100 on the street.

"That is the going rate throughout the state from what we've seen," he

said. "This problem is not isolated to one particular area. We've seen

an increase in these types of investigations statewide."

Roxanne Homar, the state pharmacist, said abused prescription drugs

include the pain relievers OxyContin, Hydrocodone and Vicodin;

depressants like Valium and Xanax; and stimulants such as Ritalin and

Adderall.

Haller said users and dealers of illegal prescription drugs get them by

fraud, forgery and theft. Thieves sometimes steal from their family

members, or they access homes by posing as utility workers or

interested parties at real estate open houses, he said.

Some users also get the drugs through "doctor shopping." That's when

patients searching for particular prescriptions visit multiple

physicians in different locations, including in neighboring states, to

get an abundance of the drug, Homar said.

Rankin, U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, recently formed the Rx Abuse

Stakeholders group to address prescription drug abuse in Wyoming. It

plans to meet this October in Buffalo for what Rankin expects to be the

first of an annual series of meetings.

(© 2009 The Associated Press.