[Vision2020] DARE to speak the truth

[Ted Moffett]

DARE is a failure!  Why?

According to The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at
Columbia University:

"...from 1992 to 2003, while the U.S. population increased 14 percent, the
number of 12 to 17 year olds who abused controlled prescription drugs jumped
212 percent..."
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 "The increase in new abusers 12 to 17 years old was far greater than among
adults (four times greater for opioids; three times for tranquilizers and
sedatives; two and one-half times for stimulants). - From 1992 to 2002, new
abuse of prescription opioids among 12 to 17 year olds was up an astounding
542 percent, more than four times the rate of increase among adults. - In
2003, 2.3 million 12 to 17 year olds (nearly one in 10) abused at least one
controlled prescription drug; for 83 percent of them, the drug was opioids.
- In 2003, among 12 to 17 year olds, girls were likelier than boys to abuse
controlled prescription drugs (10.1 percent of girls vs. 8.6 percent of
boys). - Between 1991 and 2003, rates of lifetime steroid abuse among high
school students increased 126 percent, with abuse among girls up by nearly
350 percent, compared to 66 percent among boys. - Teens who abuse controlled
prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times likelier
to use marijuana, 12 times likelier to use heroin, 15 times likelier to use
Ecstasy and 21 times likelier to use cocaine, compared to teens who do not
abuse such drugs. "
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Perhaps someone can offer more recent data on this trend?

Any questioning of the DEA "War On Drugs" should include data on the failure
of the policies insofar as they did not prevent the dramatic increase in
pharmaceutical drug abuse occurring over the past two decades.  I was amazed
to discover the extent of pharmaceutical drug abuse; and even more amazed to
discover how few people seem aware of the gravity of the problem.  While the
DEA and US foreign policy focus on foreign sources of cocaine, heroin,
cannabis, methamphetamine et. al. (Columbia, Mexico, Afghanistan...), and
aggressive domestic law enforcement against these drugs and others, an
epidemic of pharmaceutical drug abuse in the US has exploded.

Note the 2005 report below from The National Center on Addiction and
Substance Abuse that labels the problem thus: "...Prescription Drug Abuse at
Epidemic Level."  In some respects, abuse of pharmaceuticals has exceeded
the social harm from cocaine, heroin and some other illegal drugs.  Consider
the data from this report, some of which is at the top (I recommend reading
all the info at the URL below), and the commentary I will quote:

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/167299/new_casa_report_controlled_prescription_drug_abuse_at_epidemic_level/

Under the Counter: The Diversion and Abuse of Controlled Prescription Drugs
in the U.S., a 214-page CASA report detailing the findings of an exhaustive
three-year study of prescription opioids (e.g., OxyContin, Vicodin), central
nervous system (CNS) depressants (e.g., Valium, Xanax) and CNS stimulants
(e.g., Ritalin, Adderall), found that from 1992 to 2003, while the U.S.
population increased 14 percent, the number of 12 to 17 year olds who abused
controlled prescription drugs jumped 212 percent and the number of adults 18
and older abusing such drugs climbed 81 percent.

The 15.1 million Americans abusing controlled prescription drugs exceed the
combined number abusing cocaine (5.9 million), hallucinogens (4.0 million),
inhalants (2.1 million) and heroin (.3 million).

"Our nation is in the throes of an epidemic of controlled prescription drug
abuse and addiction," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA's chairman and
president and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. "While
America has been congratulating itself in recent years on curbing increases
in alcohol and illicit drug abuse, and in the decline in teen smoking, abuse
of prescription drugs has been stealthily, but sharply, rising."

Among the report's major findings: - From 1992 to 2002, prescriptions
written for controlled drugs increased more than 150 percent, almost 12
times the rate of increase in population and almost three times the rate of
increase in prescriptions written for all other drugs. - From 1992 to 2003,
the number of people abusing controlled prescription drugs increased seven
times faster than the increase in the U.S. population. - From 1992 to 2003,
abuse of controlled prescription drugs grew at a rate twice that of
marijuana abuse; five times that of cocaine abuse; 60 times that of heroin
abuse. - From 1992 to 2000 -- -- The number of new opioid abusers grew by
225 percent; new tranquilizer abusers, by 150 percent; new sedative abusers,
by more than 125 percent; new stimulant abusers, by more than 170 percent.
-- The increase in new abusers 12 to 17 years old was far greater than among
adults (four times greater for opioids; three times for tranquilizers and
sedatives; two and one-half times for stimulants). - From 1992 to 2002, new
abuse of prescription opioids among 12 to 17 year olds was up an astounding
542 percent, more than four times the rate of increase among adults. - In
2003, 2.3 million 12 to 17 year olds (nearly one in 10) abused at least one
controlled prescription drug; for 83 percent of them, the drug was opioids.
- In 2003, among 12 to 17 year olds, girls were likelier than boys to abuse
controlled prescription drugs (10.1 percent of girls vs. 8.6 percent of
boys). - Between 1991 and 2003, rates of lifetime steroid abuse among high
school students increased 126 percent, with abuse among girls up by nearly
350 percent, compared to 66 percent among boys. - Teens who abuse controlled
prescription drugs are twice as likely to use alcohol, five times likelier
to use marijuana, 12 times likelier to use heroin, 15 times likelier to use
Ecstasy and 21 times likelier to use cocaine, compared to teens who do not
abuse such drugs.

---------------

Another study worth reading on pharmaceutical drug abuse (fatal overdoses)
is sourced from JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association):

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/300/22/2613

*Results * Of 295 decedents, 198 (67.1%) were men and 271 (91.9%) were aged
18 through 54 years. Pharmaceutical diversion was associated with 186
(63.1%) deaths, while 63 (21.4%) were accompanied by evidence of doctor
shopping. Prevalence of diversion was greatest among decedents aged 18
through 24 years and decreased across each successive age group. Having
prescriptions for a controlled substance from 5 or more clinicians in the
year prior to death was more common among women (30 [30.9%]) and decedents aged
35 through 44 years (23 [30.7%]) compared with men (33 [16.7%]) and other
age groups (40 [18.2%]). Substance abuse indicators were identified in 279
decedents (94.6%), with nonmedical routes of exposure and illicit
contributory drugs particularly prevalent among drug diverters. Multiple
contributory substances were implicated in 234 deaths (79.3%). Opioid
analgesics were taken by 275 decedents (93.2%), of whom only 122
(44.4%) had ever
been prescribed these drugs.

*Conclusion * The majority of overdose deaths in West Virginia in 2006 were
associated with nonmedical use and diversion of pharmaceuticals, primarily
opioid analgesics.

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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett
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