Report: Treatment Admissions for Prescription Pain Killers on the Rise

Largest share of treatment admissions is still for alcohol abuse, but a significant decrease seen over the past decade

Released March 17, 2009 from SAMHSA - Treatment admissions for prescription pain killer misuse has risen dramatically over the past decade – from constituting 1 percent of all admissions in 1997 to now representing 5 percent, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) 2007 Highlights report also indicates that although alcohol-related admissions still account for the largest share (40 percent) of the 1.8 million treatment admissions occurring throughout the country during 2007, this reflects a reduction from 50 percent in 1997.

The TEDS 2007 Highlights report is the latest in a series of yearly reports, developed by SAMHSA, providing demographic and other information on substance abuse treatment admissions from state licensed treatment facilities (most of them publicly-funded) across the country. Although it does not include information on all treatment admissions, it is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind and provides a vast array of specialized data on the characteristics of substance abuse treatment in the United States.

To read the complete release in the SAMHSA Newsroom click here.

Is it an epidemic? Click here to learn more about prescription drug abuse.

2008 PATS: Teen Study Shows Significant Declines in Meth and Marijuana Use

From The Partnership for a Drug-Free America (February, 24, 2009)- The Partnership for a Drug-Free America today announced the findings from the 2008 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study, (PATS) which revealed the first major increase in the number of teens who reported “learning a lot” about the risks of drugs from their parents. Research consistently shows that teens who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent less likely to use.

According to the study, teen meth use has experienced a steep three-year drop, with past-month use down to 3 percent of teens – a significant 25 percent decline versus 2005. Teen attitudes about meth use corroborate this drop – 83 percent of teens see great risk in using meth regularly, about 85 percent see great risk in “getting hooked on meth” and more than half of teens, (54 percent) see trying meth once or twice as very risky.

While marijuana remains the most widely used illegal drug among teens, PATS indicates marijuana use has been declining for a decade, with past-year use down 24 percent since 1998, and past-month use down a full 30 percent (from 23 percent of teens down to 16 percent) over the same time period. Teen attitudes also reflect growing social disapproval of the drug, with 35 percent of teens agreeing strongly they “don’t want to hang around with anyone who uses marijuana,” up from 28 percent a decade ago.

The 20th annual national study of 6,518 teens in grades 7-12 is nationally projectable with a +/- 1.3 percent margin of error. PATS Teens 2008 was conducted in private, public and parochial schools for the Partnership by the Roper Public Affairs Division of GfK Custom Research.

For more key findings and the complete report click here.

Large-Scale Meth Lab Busted in Turlock; Set Ablaze Days Later

On February 4, 2009, deputies with the Merced County Sheriff's Tactical and Reconnaissance team and agents from the Merced-Mariposa High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area raided a home on 10 acres in rural Turlock and seized more than 30 pounds of finished methamphetamine, a large quantity of unfinished product, 13 pounds of cocaine, chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine, and a large sum of cash. Agents estimated the value of the seized drugs to be near one million dollars. The complete story can be found here in the Modesto Bee.

On February 6, the same modular home that had been raided just two days prior burst in to flames. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The complete story about the blaze can be found here in the Turlock Journal.

Do you know the signs of a meth lab? How is meth made? And how do meth labs affect communities? Find out more about meth at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

To report a meth lab please call 1-866-METH LAB - all calls are anonymous.