In the ten years between 1992 and 2002 treatment admission rates for
abuse of narcotic pain medications more than doubled, the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported today.
The report, "Treatment Admissions Involving Narcotic Painkillers
2002 Update" shows that these admissions increased for all ages,
but especially among people aged 20 to 30.
According to the report, between 1997 and 2002, the proportion of new users -
those entering treatment within three years of beginning use - increased from
26 percent in 1997 to 39 percent in 2002. The median duration of use before first
seeking treatment decreased from nine years of use in 1992 to seven years of
use in 1997 to four years of use in 2002.
"Narcotic pain medications are wonders of modern medicine for patients with serious
pain who are under the care of physicians," SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie
said. "When diverted from their legitimate use, however, they are highly addictive
narcotics that the body perceives exactly as if the person were taking heroin."
In 2002, there were about 84,000 admissions to treatment where the primary, secondary
or tertiary substance of abuse was a narcotic pain medication. Narcotic pain
medications were the primary substance of abuse in about half of these admissions.
In the other half, abuse of narcotic pain medications was secondary to abuse
of another substance, generally alcohol or heroin.
In 1992, five states had admission rates for narcotic pain medications of 24
or more per 100,000 population age 12 or older. This increased to 11 states with
admission rates that high in 1997. By 2002, 31 states had narcotic pain medication
admission rates of 24 or more per 100,000 population. In 2002, Maine had the
highest rate in the nation, 207 per 100,000.
The report is based on SAMHSA data compiled in the Treatment Episode Data Set.
This is a compilation of data on the demographic characteristics and substance
abuse problems of those admitted for substance abuse treatment. |
