More Floridians Die from Prescription Overdoses than Illegal DrugsJune 16, 2003
Research Summary
A Florida medical examiner's report shows that more people in Florida died last year from prescription drug overdoses than from illegal drugs, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported June 6.According to the report, 60 percent of the 2,088 deaths caused by overdoses last year were from legal medication, while 40 percent were a result of cocaine, heroin, and other illegal drugs.
Broward and Palm Beach counties had the highest number of deaths from the painkillers OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, and Lortab.
"I don't see a letdown in prescription-drug abuse," said Dr. Joshua Perper, the Broward County medical examiner. "I don't think there's really a week that passes without a death from those drugs."
Perper said many of the deaths have been linked to physicians who are making a profit writing prescriptions for painkillers without a sound medical reason.
"There are a small number of physicians who have a problem and they prescribe some of them indiscriminately," Perper said. "It's very difficult for law enforcement to prove the prescription is not legitimate."
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