Denver Doctor Charged with Illegal Oxycodone Distribution
There are at least three patients of one Denver osteopath who died of an oxycodone overdose after developing an addiction to their oxycodone prescription. Dr. Kevin Clemmer was the prescribing physician, though he has not been charged with the deaths of those three patients, he has been charged with more than 50 counts of distributing oxycodone “outside the scope of professional practice.”
The Problem with Prescription Drug Addiction in Denver
For his part, Dr. Clemmer pled not guilty. Unfortunately, officials think that the issue of oxycodone addiction among Dr. Clemmer’s patients is indicative of an overall trend that is causing the deaths of many Coloradans. In Denver alone, hospital emergency rooms report that visits related to accidents or overdose caused by oxycodone have increased from 234 to 1256 in just five years. More than 70 percent of the drug-related deaths – accident or overdose – in Denver involved prescription drugs, according to Peer Assistance Services.
Over a three year period between 2007 and 2010, the number of oxycodone prescriptions written for patients in Denver rose by 41 percent – that’s an average of 34,500+ oxycodone prescriptions in addition to another 41,000+ hydrocodone prescriptions filled in the city every three months.
The Problem of Prescription Drug Addiction Across the Country
When people are given a painkiller prescription to treat moderate to severe pain, it can mean an instant addiction in some cases. Physical dependence is almost unavoidable and when a psychological dependence becomes an issue, it can be difficult to stop taking the medication without a prescription drug rehab. The issue of abuse of prescriptions means that addiction happens much faster; doing things like crushing the pill before swallowing it or dissolving it in water and injecting the drug as well as taking more pills than prescribed or augmenting the effects with other drugs, including alcohol can all lead to addiction and/ or overdose.
Just as addictive as heroin but without the same stigma, many also develop a painkiller addiction because they believe that the pills are safe because they come from a doctor and a pharmacy. Unfortunately, unsafe use of any medication can be dangerous, and in the case of addictive painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and others, addiction is a huge risk.
If you are living with a prescription drug addiction, don’t wait to get the help you need to heal. Contact us at Michael’s House today to learn more about our painkiller rehab and to get started on a detox and addiction treatment program that’s right for you.
