What is it and what are the benefits?

Addiction to narcotics is rising at an alarming rate and now out passes street drugs as a leading cause of death from addiction.  As laws regarding the use of illegal drugs have been amplified, the painkiller  addiction takes a new turn with the use of prescription drugs as the next “thing”.  For the most part this abuse is “legal”

Painkiller Abuse

 Painkillers are often commonly used drugs,   Painkiller Addiction is now a common problem due to their easy availability. OxyContin, Endocodone, Dazidox, Percocet and Percodan, are commonly prescribed by doctors to alleviate pain, all contain the substance oxycodone; an opioid narcotic which is quite similar to morphine. This is not an ordinary over-the-counter pain reliever since they are known to be habit-forming and should only be used for the amount of time it is prescribed for. When it reaches the wrong hands, it could easily be abused and used for all the wrong reasons.

At an alarming rate of 3 deaths per hour due mainly to improper abuse of these medicines,  something needs to be done. I believe we do need laws to curb the rising trend.  New York State are leading the way with the passing of the I-Stop Law.  Staten Island, which is considered to be the oxycodone distribution capital, is located in New York. A 1,200% increase on ferry rides from Manhattan to the Staten Island in the span of 10years would most likely suggest a high activity of tourist transfers or a high traffic of users going to and from the city to secure the drug.

The Answer?

The recent I-STOP (Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing) Law that has been passed by both houses of the NY Legislature could be the big first step in overcoming a huge battle against “modern day” narcotics.  This law requires the physicians or pharmacists to check into a database first before issuing pain relievers to patients. This will make sure that there are no excessive prescriptions for such medicines for any individual which up to now they can easily get from different doctors in the city.

This is an excellent law that should be prioritized and set in place as soon as possible. since both houses already approve it, hopefully it will  come into effect quickly.   If and when I-STOP reduces the number of deaths from prescription drugs, it will hopefully be used as a model throughout the country to stem this alarming rise in painkiller addiction.

For more information regarding the I-STOP law of New York, you can check this page:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-07-16/ny-law-aimed-at-painkiller-addiction-called-model

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