Prescription drug abuse on the rise in Oklahoma

Sunday, December 11th 2005, 12:59 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The abuse of prescription painkillers is on the rise and killing more Oklahomans than any other drugs, The Oklahoman reported following an investigation into prescription drug abuse.

Three of the drugs _ methadone, oxycodone and hydrocodone _ accounted for nearly half of the state's 526 drug deaths in 2004, according to the state medical examiner's office.

``Unfortunately, we're a drug-addicted society,'' said Kevin Rowland, chief investigator for the state medical examiner's office. ``And increasingly, we're getting addicted to prescription painkillers.''

Oklahoma's use of methadone has become the leading contributor to overdose deaths in the state, the newspaper reported. In the 1990s, the state had fewer than 20 methadone-related deaths a year. That number grew to 135 deaths in 2004, when the drug was responsible for about one-fourth the total number of the state's drug deaths.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an estimated 180,000 Oklahomans, or about 5 percent of the state's population, have some chemical addiction or dependency related to prescription pain medications, illegal drugs or alcohol.

``It's definitely increased,'' said Steve Deutsch, an Oklahoma County assistant district attorney who prosecutes drug cases. ``Not exponentially, but it's on the way up.''

Prescription drug abusers often have little in common with other addicts, said Jeff Dismukes, spokesman for the state Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

``A lot of them are older folks,'' Dismukes said. ``They're professionals. They're people who have stumbled into it innocently.''

No one knows this better than Dr. Lanny Anderson, who is responsible for steering state doctors into treatment for legal and illegal drug abuse.

He's never been busier.

``This isn't just a bad habit or something that shows you're immoral or you're not a good enough Christian,'' said Anderson, head of the Oklahoma Health Professionals Recovery Program.

``It's truly a disease, which means you don't have power over it. You need help.''