Reporter’s Notebook: Prescription drug abuse rising at alarming rate

Local News

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

July 9, 2011

Denise Richardson Staff Writer The Daily Star Mon Jan 16, 2012, 09:40 AM EST

The fight against drug use is focusing on just saying “no’’ to pills from the medicine cabinet at home.

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, according to law enforcement officials who organized a summit on awareness and prevention last month.

Police and leaders in public health, pharmaceuticals, health care and education fields met June 16 for a New York Rx Summit at the state police academy in Albany, a media release said.

The summit was convened by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Drug Enforcement Administration, state police and many other organizations. Training on combating the diversion of prescription drugs for illegitimate use was provided by the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators and others.

The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that 52 million Americans age 12 and older had used prescription drugs non-medically; 2.6 million Americans age 12 and older had used prescription drugs nonmedically for the first time within the past year.

The 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that one in five high school students in the United States had taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription, the release said, among other studies cited.

The release from the summit also mentioned ways to reduce illegal use of prescription drugs. Measures suggested included teaching parents, youth, patients, and health care providers about the dangers of the misuse of prescription drugs.

“Parents also are critical partners in this effort,’’ U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian said. He urged parents to talk to their children about the dangers of misusing prescription drugs and dispose of unused, unneeded and expired medications.

“Working together, we can reduce the risk of harm to our children and save lives,” Hartunian said in the release.

A.O. Fox Hospital President John Remillard released some facts to highlight roles the Oneonta hospital and its staff have in generating revenue for the local economy, providing health care and supporting the community through volunteer work.

The Hospital Association of New York State released a report last fall that said New York hospitals contribute nearly $108 billion annually to the economy, a media release from Fox Hospital said.

Remillard estimated the Fox Hospital’s 2010 economic impact on the area at $158 million.

“With 950 employees and a payroll of $38.4 million, we continue to be a major factor in the well-being of Oneonta,’’ he said in the release issued for National Hospital Week in May. The hospital’s affiliation with the Bassett Healthcare Network has been a major factor in maintaining Fox’s tradition of excellence.

“Our future and economic viability have been greatly enhanced and assured by our joining forces with Bassett,” Remillard said in the release. Fox’s presence is important to residents of all ages, he said.

“Down the road,” he said, “given our greater than the national average number of seniors, the Fox Nursing Home and other services will be crucial for our citizens.”

For a second consecutive year, each 2010-11 freshman in SUNY Delhi’s program on computer-aided drafting and design who took the certified drafter national exam achieved a 100 percent pass rate.

At the State University College of Technology at Delhi, 14 students earned the distinction of American Design Drafting Association certified drafters, a media release issued this week said.

“Passing this certification test is a major advantage for our students who are seeking summer jobs or internships in the field,’’ Distinguished Professor Joseph Greenfield of computer aided drafting and design, said in the release. “It proves that they have met a national standard in mechanical drafting,” SUNY Delhi’s computer aided drafting and design program prepares students for employment as a designer/drafter or serves as a stepping stone to other technical and managerial positions.

Denise Richardson covers health care, business and higher education for The Daily Star. She can be reached at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213, or at drichardson@thedailystar.com.