Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute epidemiologist Caleb Banta-Green presented the latest drug abuse trends for Seattle/King County at the national meeting of the Community Epidemiology Work Group in Seattle, June 8-10.
The 2010 data, profiled in an article today in the Seattle Times by reporter Carol Ostrom, shows that deaths from prescription drug overdoses decreased in the last year for the first time in the past decade. Though the drop was significant (161 deaths in 2009 to 130 in 2010), deaths from prescription drugs have largely displaced illegal drugs when it comes to overdose deaths over the last 14 years.
Deaths from illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, continue to play a major role in mortality rates in the region, however, with cocaine contributing to 46 deaths in 2010, and heroin to 50. Meanwhile, alcohol contributed to the loss of 62 lives.
Sales of prescription drugs have leveled off in the last three years, but Banta-Green is cautious about drawing conclusions. For example: the statistics showing that prescriptions for opiates are going down may be good or bad. It would be good if prescribers are making sure patients don't get drugs from multiple sources and are careful not to prescribe to patients who don't need them or might sell or give them to others.