Massachusetts is in the midst of an “epidemic” involving residents becoming addicted to prescription opiates such as OxyContin, according to a recently issued report from the state’s OxyContin and Heroin Commission. According to the Boston Globe, the panel said that prescription drug abuse of opiates such as OxyContin among the state’s residents is a “serious and dangerous” situation that needs to be addressed with the same urgency as the H1N1 flu.
The state “is losing men and women on its streets at a rate of 42 to 1 compared to what the state is losing in two wars overseas," the panel said in its executive summary. "Addiction is a medical disorder, and we have a public health epidemic on our hands that is larger than the flu pandemic."
The 71-page report included several recommendations for steps that should be immediately taken to deal with the growing OxyContin problem that is seen in drug rehabilitation programs throughout Massachusetts. They include making it easier for law enforcement officials to track people with multiple painkiller prescriptions, increasing support for “recovery” high schools designed for teens dealing with opiate addiction and reducing punishment for criminals who agree to enter an addiction program.