Ohio Co. Declares Emergency Over Addiction

[The Straight Story]

Ohio Co. Declares Emergency Over Addiction
'Pill Mills' Blamed For Extreme Level Of Addiction

PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- Nearly one in 10 babies were born addicted to drugs last year in southern Ohio's Scioto County. Rehab admissions for prescription painkiller addictions were five times the national average. In a rare step, the health commissioner declared a public health emergency, something usually reserved for disease outbreaks.

The culprits putting the rural county at the forefront of a burgeoning national problem are not only the people abusing the painkillers, officials say. They blame at least eight area "pill mills" - clinics or doctors that dole out prescription medications like OxyContin with little discretion. At least two health care providers are facing criminal charges.

"I would describe it as if a pharmaceutical atomic bomb went off," said Lisa Roberts, a nurse for the health department in Portsmouth, an Ohio River city of about 20,000 with falling population and high unemployment.

Health officials say nine of every 10 fatal drug overdoses in Scioto (pronounced sy-OH'-toh) County are caused by prescription drugs. Of those drug deaths, nearly two-thirds of the individuals did not have prescriptions, meaning they bought the drugs illegally or got them from friends or family.

http://www.clickorlando.com/health/26249047/detail.html#

I know people who drive from Columbus to Portsmouth for this very reason, and they make some decent money off the sales of the pills - the market grew up here maybe because people got tired of pill shopping all the way down in Florida (pill paradise they call it).

This will drive up local prices.

[LARED]

1. 'Pill Mills' Blamed For Extreme Level Of Addiction'

So I guess liquor stores are responsible for alcoholism.