OBN steps up efforts to stop prescription drug abuse

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics will use a federal grant to step up efforts to reduce what officials say is one of the fastest growing drug problems in the US. <br/><br/>OBN spokesman

Thursday, July 7th 2005, 1:02 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics will use a federal grant to step up efforts to reduce what officials say is one of the fastest growing drug problems in the US.

OBN spokesman Mark Woodward says the abuse of prescription drugs is becoming a large problem. A recent study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse says more Americans abuse prescription drugs than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants combined.

Woodward says the bureau is expanding the Oklahoma Schedule Two Abuse Reduction _ or OSTAR _ program that now tracks prescriptions for highly addictive Schedule Two drugs such as morphine. He says the Legislature and governor approved expanding that program to track less addictive Schedule Three, Four and Five drugs such as Lortab or Vicodin.