Published: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Lawmakers in bid to tackle state's pill problems
Police in Snohomish County say legislation proposed to protect the environment could help curtail the growing abuse of prescription painkillers.
Lawmakers in Olympia are considering a bill that would require drug manufacturers to develop and pay for programs to take back unused medicines and dispose of the drugs in secure hazardous-waste facilities.
Proponents say a take-back program would help keep drugs from contaminating groundwater and also possibly prevent accidental poisonings.
The program also would reduce the likelihood of addictive painkillers reaching teenagers and would get them off the black market, said Pat Slack, commander of the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.
"Prescription drugs are one of the biggest threats we face today," Slack said. People "need to look at that pill bottle like a loaded gun. The prescription take-back bill is like a trigger lock."
Slack worries young people don't understand that prescription drugs can be just as deadly as cocaine or other street drugs.
"They see the bottles in mom and dad's medicine cabinet and don't think it's as dangerous. That's just not true," Slack said.
State Rep. Al O'Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, a sponsor of the bill, said lawmakers have heard of teenagers holding "pharm" parties. Young people bring prescription drugs they find at home, throw them in a bowl and grab a handful, he said.
"Right now law enforcement is seeing a lot of kids getting high and some overdosing on prescription drugs left around the house," O'Brien said.
Opponents of the bill say there's no solid proof that kids, or anyone, who becomes addicted to prescription drugs are getting them from someone else's medicine cabinet. There's no guarantee a take-back program will curb the problem, said Marjorie Powell, spokeswoman for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
A take-back program could increase the risk for the drugs to fall into the wrong hands, she said.
"People looking for the drugs know they can get them where there's a take-back program," Powell said. "We think there'll be an increased risk of diversion."
Putting unused medicines in sealed containers and throwing them in the trash is the best way to keep the drugs away from teens and others, she said.
The law would call for security measures, said Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, a sponsor of the bill.
"You don't want to have a collection bucket outside of Bartell's," he said.
Dunshee said he supports keeping drugs from making their way into the state's rivers and lakes.
"If it saves 10 kids from getting hooked on OxyContin, that's a good thing, too," he said.
Slack also has seen cases of caretakers and medical professionals taking the drugs from their patients. They steal the drugs for personal use or to turn a profit.
Prescription painkillers, such as oxycodone, can sell for up to $90 a pill on the street, he said.
A 22-year-old Lynnwood man recently accused of holding up a dozen gas stations and convenience stores told police he was hooked on OxyContin, a powerful prescription painkiller, and had outstanding drug debts.
An Edmonds man, 21, is suspected of holding up a Walgreen's pharmacy in Mukilteo with a toy gun. He told detectives he robbed the store of OxyContin to restock his supply. He sells up to 40 pills a day for about $60 per pill.
An Everett woman, 20, last week admitted she was addicted to OxyContin when she stole $200 from an Arlington bank.
A take-back program is only part of the solution to fighting the problem but it could go a long way in keeping the drugs out of the hands of young people, Slack said.
"I don't think it can be overstated how dangerous this stuff is in your medicine cabinet," he said.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
Lawmakers in Olympia are considering a bill that would require drug manufacturers to develop and pay for programs to take back unused medicines and dispose of the drugs in secure hazardous-waste facilities.
Proponents say a take-back program would help keep drugs from contaminating groundwater and also possibly prevent accidental poisonings.
The program also would reduce the likelihood of addictive painkillers reaching teenagers and would get them off the black market, said Pat Slack, commander of the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force.
"Prescription drugs are one of the biggest threats we face today," Slack said. People "need to look at that pill bottle like a loaded gun. The prescription take-back bill is like a trigger lock."
Slack worries young people don't understand that prescription drugs can be just as deadly as cocaine or other street drugs.
"They see the bottles in mom and dad's medicine cabinet and don't think it's as dangerous. That's just not true," Slack said.
State Rep. Al O'Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace, a sponsor of the bill, said lawmakers have heard of teenagers holding "pharm" parties. Young people bring prescription drugs they find at home, throw them in a bowl and grab a handful, he said.
"Right now law enforcement is seeing a lot of kids getting high and some overdosing on prescription drugs left around the house," O'Brien said.
Opponents of the bill say there's no solid proof that kids, or anyone, who becomes addicted to prescription drugs are getting them from someone else's medicine cabinet. There's no guarantee a take-back program will curb the problem, said Marjorie Powell, spokeswoman for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.
A take-back program could increase the risk for the drugs to fall into the wrong hands, she said.
"People looking for the drugs know they can get them where there's a take-back program," Powell said. "We think there'll be an increased risk of diversion."
Putting unused medicines in sealed containers and throwing them in the trash is the best way to keep the drugs away from teens and others, she said.
The law would call for security measures, said Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, a sponsor of the bill.
"You don't want to have a collection bucket outside of Bartell's," he said.
Dunshee said he supports keeping drugs from making their way into the state's rivers and lakes.
"If it saves 10 kids from getting hooked on OxyContin, that's a good thing, too," he said.
Slack also has seen cases of caretakers and medical professionals taking the drugs from their patients. They steal the drugs for personal use or to turn a profit.
Prescription painkillers, such as oxycodone, can sell for up to $90 a pill on the street, he said.
A 22-year-old Lynnwood man recently accused of holding up a dozen gas stations and convenience stores told police he was hooked on OxyContin, a powerful prescription painkiller, and had outstanding drug debts.
An Edmonds man, 21, is suspected of holding up a Walgreen's pharmacy in Mukilteo with a toy gun. He told detectives he robbed the store of OxyContin to restock his supply. He sells up to 40 pills a day for about $60 per pill.
An Everett woman, 20, last week admitted she was addicted to OxyContin when she stole $200 from an Arlington bank.
A take-back program is only part of the solution to fighting the problem but it could go a long way in keeping the drugs out of the hands of young people, Slack said.
"I don't think it can be overstated how dangerous this stuff is in your medicine cabinet," he said.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
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