Health Country

Jim Lyle, Associate Director, Tulsa Area Community Services Council, has asked me to coordinate a community response to The Opioid Crisis in Oklahoma. Since that time the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has asked to be a part, and has even agreed to sponsor a statewide initiative. Below you will find what the “crisis” is all about.

In March 2006, SAMHSA announced that Oklahoma tops the nation in prescription painkiller addiction. According to SAMHSA, 6.7% of Oklahomans over 12 years of age use painkillers, http://newsok.com/article/3212728 The rapid growth of prescription painkiller addiction has been fueled by the burgeoning number online pharmacies and their overwhelming, but effective, email spamming. This cheap, plentiful, and reliable source of drugs, which doesn’t involve risky or criminal associations has changed the “profile” of addiction, examples include:

• Heath Ledger

• Rush Limbaugh

• Wife of the Oklahoma County DA in 2002

The Oklahoma Bureau Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs estimates that 87,000 painkiller addicts reside in Oklahoma. Taking a pro rata share of that number, based upon the 2006 population estimates of the US Bureau of Census, some 13,000 painkiller addicts live in Tulsa County, nearly 17,000 in Oklahoma County.

Now the plot thickens. The DEA and the Oklahoma Bureau Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs are doing an excellent job shutting down illegal online pharmacies, doctor-shopping, etc., dramatically drying up supplies. This huge population is starting to see rapidly rising prices and unavailability. People are getting sick and desperate. What happens next? Ripples will be felt through the criminal justice, social services, behavioral health and health care fields.

Please contact me if you would:

1) Like to be involved in a community response.

2) Would like us to present an in service at your agency or at meetings or conferences open to the public.

Dan Cross, Regional Director, Marketing & PR

Native Health Systems

2727 E Admiral, Tulsa, OK 74110

918-835-3017

Learn more

Locations in:

Quapaw Counseling Services

Miami, OK (918)542-1786 & OKC (405)672-3033

Keetoowah Cherokee Treatment Services

Tulsa (918)835-3107

By: Dan B Cross

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Tags: 2006 Population Estimates, Bureau Of Census, Community Response, Department Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse Services, Director Marketing, Email Spamming, Health Care Fields, Narcotics And Dangerous Drugs, Newsok Com, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Department Of Mental Health, Oklahoma Department Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Painkiller, Pro Rata Share, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh Wife, Statewide Initiative, Substance Abuse Services, Us Bureau Of Census . This entry was posted on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 10:58 am and is filed under Health County. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.