Walgreens is leading the fight against prescription drug abuse with new programs to help curb the misuse of medications and reduce the rise in overdose deaths. In the first ongoing national effort by a retailer, Walgreens has installed safe medication disposal kiosks in over 500 pharmacies across 35 states. Florida leads the way, along with Texas, in the Southeast region.
Sally West, Regional Director of State Government Relations for Walgreens stated that, “We will be planning an event at our Tallahassee kiosk location – on Thomasville Road & Killearney Way – once Sheriff McNeill is inaugurated. We’ll invite him and Loranne Ausley to the store to see how the kiosk works.”
Walgreens safe medication disposal kiosks provide a safe and convenient way to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medication at no cost, year-round. Kiosks are available during regular pharmacy hours and offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) released the Florida Medical Examiners Commission Report on Drugs Identified in Deceased Persons Interim Report 2015. The report contains information compiled from autopsies performed by medical examiners across the state from January through June 2015. During that period there were approximately 100,189 deaths in Florida. Of those, 4,682 individuals were found to have died with one or more of the drugs specified in this report in their bodies. Total drug-related deaths increased by 13.9 percent (570 more) when compared with the first half of 2014.
The report indicates the five most frequently occurring drugs found in decedents were ethyl alcohol (2,288), all benzodiazepines (2,182 including 666 alprazolam deaths), cocaine (840), cannabinoids (785), and morphine (670). The drugs that caused the most deaths were benzodiazepines (558, including 281 alprazolam deaths), cocaine (441), morphine (387), ethyl alcohol (384), heroin (320), fentanyl (289) and oxycodone (274).
The six drugs where more than 50 percent of the deaths were caused by the drug when the drug was found, heroin (93.3 percent), fentanyl (72.8 percent), methadone (66.1 percent), morphine (57.8 percent), cocaine (52.5 percent), and oxycodone (52.2 percent).
With heroin continuing to be the most lethal drug named in this report, occurrences increased by 107.9 percent (178 more) and deaths caused by heroin also increased by 114.8 percent (171 more) compared to the first half of 2014; 94 percent of all heroin occurrences were in accidental deaths.
The report also indicates that prescription drugs continued to be found more often than illicit drugs in both lethal and non-lethal levels during the first part of this year. Prescription drugs account for 68.9 percent of all drug occurrences in this report when ethyl alcohol is excluded.
Unfortunately, Shelby’s story is not uncommon. Whether drug abuse is enabled through illegal means or legal means, the outcomes can be tragic. Our law enforcement partners are well aware of the problems, as they are often called to the scene of harmful situations only to find drug misuse as a contributing factor or cause.
Together, we can all do our part to prevent drug related impairment, including death from overdose. Parents, prescribing physicians, teens, law enforcement and non-profits like the PDMP Foundation all play a role. But together, we can make a measurable difference in lives like Shelby’s, which end up leading to the right path for a productive and happy future.
Thanks for your support!
Highlights of the Report:
- We are continuing to see a decrease in occurrences and deaths caused by oxycodone. Occurrences of oxycodone decreased by 7.1% and deaths caused by oxycodone decreased by 12% when compared to 2013. Occurrences have continued to decrease over the past five years (down 59% from 2010). Oxycodone caused deaths have also continued to decrease over the past five years (a decrease of 69% when compared to 2010).
- There has been a 4.2% increase in individuals who have died with one or more prescription drugs in their system.
- There has been a 7.6% increase in individuals who have died with one prescription drug in their system that was identified as the cause of death.
- Occurrences of heroin increased by 124.6% and deaths caused by heroin increased by 111.4% when compared to 2013.