Florida Cracks Down on Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction
According to reports, 22 people were arrested in Florida recently – a group that includes pharmacists and doctors – in a statewide attempt to stop prescription drug abuse, a problem that has run rampant in Florida and across the country in recent years.
In recent years, there has been an explosion of “pill mills” across Florida, organizations that are essentially open for no other purpose than to connect patients who want painkillers with doctors and pharmacists who can provide those pills. Why is this illegal? Because these clinics often process hundreds of patients each month, and doctors rarely ask for or verify claims of pain or medical issues that might warrant a legitimate prescription. Additionally, there is little monitoring of patients after they receive their prescriptions. Education and awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse and dependence is practically non-existent and almost none are provided with a safe exit plan designed to help them stop taking the drugs safely.
Among the arrestees were also people involved in prescription forgery rings and those who run illegal online pharmacies that provide prescription drugs to Americans without a prescription.
The sting operations that culminated in the Florida arrests were called Pill Nation I and Pill Nation II. They led to far more than just the recent 22 arrests. In fact, 40 pain clinics in Florida are now closed, a total of 118 arrests related to illegal pain medication disbursement have been enacted, and more than $19 million in assets from illegal drug sales have been seized, according to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
Says Holder: “Our targeted, aggressive enforcement actions are sending a clear message that — here in Florida, which has long been the nation’s epicenter for the illegal distribution of prescription drugs — the days of easily acquiring these drugs from corrupt doctors and pharmacists are coming to an end.”
Holder also put forth a number of statistics to support his assertions that prescription drug addiction is an epidemic that must be stemmed immediately:
- About 7 million Americans regularly abuse prescription drugs
- About 40,000 deaths happen every year as a result of prescription drug abuse and addiction
- Health issues related to prescription drug abuse costs about $200 billion each year
- In 2010, one teen in seven got high using prescription drugs
If you or someone you care about is living with a dependence upon prescription painkillers or other prescription medication, contact us today at Michael’s House. We can help you determine which type of drug rehab will best serve your needs.
