NEWS: Mercury - 16/5/07 'Drug deaths rocket'

[lil angel15]

Drug deaths rocket
PHILIPPA DUNCAN
May 16, 2007 12:00am

TASMANIANS are fatally overdosing on opioid prescription drugs such as methadone and morphine at sky-rocketing rates and 20 people died last year.

The rate of opioid-related accidental deaths has more than doubled in Tasmania, which now has the nation's highest rate.

The sharp increase has alarmed the state's new Alcohol and Drug Service clinical director Adrian Reynolds, who said Tasmanian doctors prescribed opioid drugs at a rate much higher than the national average.

"I have grave concerns about the improper use of prescription drugs and diversion," he said yesterday.

"It's up to 50 per cent higher than some states."

Dr Reynolds said Tasmania had major problems with opioid diversion, when people use drugs that have been prescribed to others, and the misuse of prescribed opioid, such as injecting crushed-up tablets.

"Every death is tragic," he said.

Seven of the people who died last year overdosed on methadone and a review of takeaway methadone has begun.

In 2005 a baby boy died of a methadone overdose in the South.

There are 513 people on the methadone program -- 370 in the South -- and Dr Reynolds said the "vast majority" were allowed to take the drug home.

"I'm concerned that some people who should not be getting takeaway methadone are getting takeaway methadone," Dr Reynolds said.

He said the seven who died last year had included people on the program and people who had bought, stolen or been given the opioid.

A review of Tasmania's drug and alcohol service is examining the safety, clinical suitability and need for takeaway doses in individual patients.

A drive to educate and train medical staff, including doctors who prescribe opioids, will begin in months.

Dr Reynolds said there was evidence diverted opioids were supporting an illicit market in Tasmania, in place of a heroin market.

He said that since 1990 there had been a national fivefold increase in the prescription of opioids for chronic pain as the drugs became available in oral form.

"Patients can have medication at home but along with that comes an increased risk of diversion and misuse," he said.

"Patients who have opiates might inject their medication.

"Doctors are graduating with very few substantive skills in drug and alcohol addiction."

In 2005 Tasmania recorded the highest rate of accidental deaths due to opioids -- 53.7 per million persons compared with the national average of 32.5. In 2004 the national average was 31.3 and in Tasmania 23.

Opioids include opium, codeine, morphine, methadone, pethidine and oxycodone.

Mercury

 

[hoptis]

Action call on drug deaths
PHILIPPA DUNCAN
May 17, 2007 12:00am

THERE have been calls for more drug-treatment services and chemists dispensing methadone seven days a week to reduce the number of Tasmanians dying from opioid overdoses.

Twenty Tasmanians fatally overdosed last year and the state has the nation's highest opioid-related death rate.

Tasmanian doctors are prescribing opioids such as morphine, codeine and pethidine at rates 50 per cent above the national average.

Seven people died last year from methadone overdoses and at least another two have died in the past three months.

Two parents contacted the Mercury to report the deaths of two men, both young fathers with pregnant partners.

Yesterday the sky-rocketing level of opioid abuse was blamed on a combination of the high rate of takeaway methadone and a lack of services for drug addicts.

Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council Tasmania executive officer David Clements said not enough had been invested in treatment and support services for years.

"We are copping the brunt of that now," he said. He said a potential solution to methadone overdoses was to have more seven-day dispensing sites.

"In the South I understand there are approximately 10 pharmacies that operate seven days a week," he said.

"The low number of services that provide that in some way must contribute to the high number of takeaway doses."

This week Alcohol and Drug Service clinical director Adrian Reynolds said the "vast majority" of the 513 Tasmanians on methadone got takeaway doses.

He had "grave concerns" about the improper use of opioid prescription drugs and diversion, or selling, of opioids.

But Mr Clements said most people did not divert their methadone and operated well in the community.

He said the program reduced property crime and takeaway doses allowed people to operate more freely in the community.

State Opposition health spokesman Brett Whiteley supported the call for seven-day-a-week clinics and more drug services.

"The lack of suitable alcohol and drug services in Tasmania has been an issue for years," he said.

"However, the State Government appears to either not understand the complexity of the issues involved or it ranks them as a low priority."

The Mercury