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Bridgette Thatcher
Professor Dursema
English 1010
27 November 2015
Solving Utahs Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic
Prescription drug abuse is leading to addiction, heroin use and substance related
overdoses, many of which are resulting in death. Prescribing doctors need to get a detailed
history from their patients, and then closely monitor those that are being prescribed opioids, all
while keeping in mind that they should be weaning these patients rather than increasing dosages
to help combat this epidemic. There also needs to be education about prescription drug abuse,
how it can affect anyone, and where it can lead, by the Utah Department of Health to help fight
prescription drug abuse in Utah.
Utah ranks fifth in the nation for overdose deaths, according to a report from the Trust for
America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, with 21.5 per 100,000 people
suffering drug overdose fatalities. The Utah Department of Healths most recent statistics show
an average of 21 Utahn's die as a result of prescription pain medications each month. It is pretty
common knowledge throughout Utah that prescription drug abuse is a problem; there are even
jokes about living in happy valley which refers specifically to the people of Utah County and
their prescription drug use (abuse).
Drugs, Inc. episode titled Salt Lake Sinners digs into just how deep the problem runs:
Salt Lake City is one of the safest cities in the U.S., the capital of the state of Utah and the
spiritual home of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But behind its idyllic veneer,
Salt Lake City is in the grip of a drug epidemic. NGC lifts the lid on Salt Lake City's secret drug

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world, exposing drug addiction and dealing among the Mormon community, the takeover of the
city's drug market by the cartels, and the threats faced by law enforcement as they fight to
contain it. This episode talks about the way some people use the mask of being an active
church member to not only hide their addiction, but to also deal drugs. The culture in Utah
primarily follows the teachings of the Mormon Church. Part of these teachings include the Word
of Wisdom which requires members to abstain from substances like coffee, tea, alcohol and illicit
drugs. The loophole seems to be prescription drugs. Because these are typically prescribed by a
doctor, they are assumed to be safe and are seen as compatible with the Word of Wisdom.
Initially these drugs are being taken under the advice of a doctor, but seem to be frequently
leading to addiction. When the costs start to add up, or the fix becomes harder to obtain,
people are resorting to heroin use as a less expensive option. Elizabeth Sollis from the Utah
Department of Human Services stated in a Good4Utah interview that: "Its not uncommon for
people who get addicted to pain pills, which are opioids, to become addicted to heroin, a lot of
the time it is just because they can't get the pain medication, so then they turn to heroin. It's not
uncommon because heroin is cheaper and often easier to get off the street than prescription
medication. Another similar statement is made on a website for a recovery treatment center here
in Utah. Journey Healing Centers claims that typically opioid painkillers like oxycodone and
hydrocodone are the most frequently misused prescription medications and addiction experts
have no doubt that these prescriptions are functioning as a gateway to push levels of heroin
consumption upward: Heroin is an illegal opioid but is cheaper to purchase than its legalized
chemical cousins. (Journey Healing Centers)
For those that are not interested in the cheaper options like heroin, but are still suffering
from addiction, they end up being forced into a doctor shopper situation. They see multiple

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doctors for the same problems and therefore receive multiple prescriptions for the same
substances. Of course they cannot fill all of these at the same pharmacy, so that is where
pharmacy hopping begins. There are so many pharmacies to choose from that it becomes almost
impossible to catch each person that is doing this. There are also pain clinics that are notorious
for giving large amounts of pills and/or refills on prescriptions, as well as online doctors who
will authorize prescriptions for patients that they have not even seen, based on the patients list of
their symptoms.
Although it is difficult to state an original idea on this subject, because it is a battle
already being fought, the go to solution is to make the prescription drugs harder to get. Though
this may stop some new users from developing, it is also more likely to push those that are
already facing addiction to pain medications to street drugs faster than is already happening. The
war on drugs seems to be a never ending battle. In a Standard Examiner article from August
2014, it is stated that Utah gets $1 million to fight prescription drug abuse from the Centers for
Disease Control. The Utah Department of Health executive director, Dr. David Patton said the
money will help the department enhance the Utah Controlled Substance Database and evaluate
the states naloxone access law and the Good Samaritan law, both passed during the 2014
legislative session. House Bill 119, The Naloxone Law, allows physicians to prescribe naloxone
(an opioid antidote, or rescue medication) to third parties and permits these individuals to
administer the medication to the victim without legal liability. The Good Samaritan Law enables
bystanders to report an overdose without fear of criminal prosecution for illegal possession of a
controlled substance or illicit drug. This is a huge step in helping those that are already suffering
from addiction and are at risk for overdose, however, there also needs to be a focus on preventing
the addiction in the first place and the risks addiction entails.

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Dr. Drew Pinsky, addiction medicine specialist, hosted an interview with Barry Meier, a
New York Times reporter that has recently released a book that explores opiate painkillers and
the consequences that come with long-term use. During the podcast they discuss the use of
opioids for chronic, non-terminal pain patients. They cover the fact that not all doctors are
discussing patient history and their patients gene for developing addiction; from heritage to
family history to personal history. They also discuss the fact that opiates, particularly in addicts,
tend to curb pain short term, but intensify it in the long term, called hyperalgesia, which means
that over time, individuals taking opioids can develop an increasing sensitivity to noxious
stimuli, even evolving a painful response to previously non-noxious stimuli.
This shows the importance in doctors first needing to get a detailed history from their
patients, and then closely monitoring those that are being prescribed opioids, all while keeping in
mind that they should be weaning these patients rather than increasing dosages. If this could be
made a law for doctors, it could make a difference. The other route that needs to be approached
is education about prescription drug abuse. With the investment from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), The Utah Department of Health needs to encourage education of
providers and patients about the risk of prescription drug overdose as at least one of the ways for
fighting this abuse. The CDC also aims for increasing prevention by enhancing prescription drug
monitoring programs; working with health systems, insurers, and professional providers to help
them make informed decisions about prescribing pain medication; responding to new and
emerging drug overdose issues through innovative projects, including developing new
surveillance systems or communications campaigns; developing a better understanding and
response to the increase in heroin overdose deaths and investigating the connection between

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prescription opioid abuse and heroin use. All of these actions can help get Utah one step closer to
decreasing the amount of addicted Utahns and substance abuse related overdoses.

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Works Cited
Barry Meier. Episode #080 with Barry Meier. Dr. Drew Podcast. Host Dr. Drew Pinsky. Dr.
Drew, 21 July, 2013. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
CDC Funding Helps States Combat Prescription Drug Overdose Epidemic. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 4 Sept.
2015. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
Drugs, Inc.: Salt Lake Sinners. Dir. Becky Prosser. Nar. Huey Morgan. Prod. Joanna Hilliard.
National Geographic, Washington D.C., 2 May, 2014. Television.
Lampros, Jamie. Utah Gets $1 Million to Fight RX Drug Abuse. Standard Examiner. Ogden
Publishing Corporation, 14 Aug. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2015.
National Awareness Month: Rx drug Abuse in Utah. Good4Utah. Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.,
20 May, 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
Prescription Drug Overdoses. Utah Department of Health. State of Utah, n.d. Web. 20 Nov.
2015.
Utah had the 14th Highest Rate of Injury Deaths in U.S. Trust for Americas Health. Trust for
Americas Health, 17 June, 2015. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
Why Prescription Painkiller Addicts Turn to Heroin. Journey Healing Centers. Journey
Centers, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.