Crack Down, Morphine Up

It's a cup half-full or half-empty situation: Cocaine and heroin abuse-related visits have gone down in New York emergency rooms, however prescription narcotics painkiller abuse has skyrocketed. A report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says that at 30 local hospitals, 2000-2002, "showed abuse of narcotic pain relievers jumped 79 percent, but cocaine and heroin abuse dropped about 9 percent." Leah Young, the report's author, notes while national cocaine abuse rose, in New York cocaine abuse dropped. She tells the Post, "That could mean there's less cocaine use in New York City or it could mean other things." Ha - like New Yorkers can handle their crack better or something? Nice one, Young, Gothamist can read between the lines.

How an emergency room works.

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By Jen Chung in News on August 27, 2003 10:55 AM

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Jen

No, actually I didn't have to ID the body, but another person from my company did. I can't say any more about it because there are lawsuits and accusations of fraud. But when I come down for some crabs in Baltimore, I'll tell more.

eebmore

Oh, that was you who had to ID an employer. that is mondo horrible. I once had to do that (very different circumstances ... an elderly relative ... natural causes) and asked for a barf bag before they showed me the body. The coroner looked at me like it was the strangest request he had ever recieved. I had assumed they would have had that sort of thing on hand.

Jen

I love my vitamins - does that count?

hazy in PGH

Well, my father in law overdoses on Oxy all the time. I have told my mother in law to restrict his access to the pills but she does not! AND, she goes to pharmacy to get refills and pays FULL price when the insurance won't cover it. These are the same people that give ME looks for having 2 glasses of wine with dinner and a smoke afterwards. Hello, popping 4 Oxy's a day is a bit worse...but there is that idea that if your doctor has prescribed it, it must be OK, even if you double the dose. Drug addiction is drug addiction even if you are addicted to Advil!

Jen

That is pathetic. I don't know if I would have taken my first job if I saw that the job description would require "keeping mouth shut about multiple affairs boss is having with various women" or "giving eulogy-type address at boss's funeral." But it's character building, right?

eebmore

I hate to sound cynical (I don't even believe myself when I say that), but it's more of an annoyance than anything else. He's the third gm that had to be thrown kicking and screaming into detox in the past 5 years. I personally am not part of the detox crew (that's part of others' job description.

It's pathetic this is an everyday part of my business, but you've read Kitchen Confidential and know the deal.

Jen

eebmore, that's terrible but wonderful that you're taking your GM to the hospital. It's almost like having to go and tell the coroner that in fact that is your boss who has died, but not as bad, clearly.

eebmore

The report had similar findings down here ...Baltimore Sun.

OxyContin seems to be the painkiller causing the ER spike. In fact, we just dragged my GM to the ER for OxyContin abuse for the second time in 6 months.