Prescription Drug Abuse in Illinois

 Posted on April 27, 2016 in DuPage County criminal defense attorney

The rates of heroin use in Illinois may frequently be front-page news; however, there is another serious drug epidemic coursing through Illinois—the abuse of prescription drugs.

While it may seem a far less serious offense than the use, sale, or distribution of harder drugs with headline-making statistics and deaths such as heroin, the penalties for illegal prescription drug use can be just as serious and devastating for a person in the long-term.

In 2008, there were 14,800 prescription painkiller deaths alone nationwide. For every one of these deaths, there were 10 admissions for treatment of abuse, and 32 emergency room visits for misuse or abuse of prescription drugs.

Prescription opioids, such as Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxycontin are some of the most commonly abused drugs, and many of these drug names are household words known to children as young as middle schoolers.

To understand how prevalent this type of drug abuse is, in Illinois alone, there were 999 drug overdoses in 2012. Additionally, an estimated 206 of these overdoses were caused by prescription opioids. The abuse of prescription drugs is the second most commonly-abused drug after marijuana and alcohol.

Toward the end of last year, the state of Illinois received a $3.6 million federal grant to help combat the state's problem with prescription drug abuse. The intention was to help improve the prescription drug monitoring program, a voluntary program, for ease of use and to keep it current. Hence, doctors could better obtain any necessary patient information. The state hopes to see an increase in the use of the program by doctors to help curb inappropriate prescribing. Additionally, part of the grant went to helping pharmacies keep these types of drugs locked up behind the counter in an effort to keep addicts from gaining access.

If you or someone you know has been accused of prescription drug abuse, or possession of legal drugs without a prescription, it can be just as detrimental as any other drug charge. However, a skilled DuPage County criminal defense attorney can help. Call Stephen A. Brundage, Attorney at Law, who can challenge your drug crime case and help protect your legal rights. Call 630-260-9647 today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Sources:

http://illinoispoisoncenter.org/sites/default/files/MCHC_PrescriptionDrug_2013%20(2).pdf

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-overdose-grant-0911-biz-20150910-story.html

http://ric-zai-inc.com/ric.php?page=detail&id=COPS-P257

http://modern-counsel.com/2015/national-association-of-chain-drug-stores/