Comedian Greg Giraldo died yesterday after his family took him off life support, and it's not disputed that Giraldo, 44, died as the result of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. The news today is filled with a huge outpouring of condolences for the lawyer-turned-comic, each filled with both sadness and anger that such a talent has been lost to us all.
And, perhaps, some shock that the drugs that killed this man were not illegal street drugs, but medications prescribed by a physician. Greg Giraldo lapsed into unconsciousness and ultimately died after injesting drugs from a pharmacy and a doctor, not a street transaction with a pusher.
Prescription Drug Deaths are Skyrocketing in Number
Deaths resulting from prescription medication are becoming an epidemic in this country, and perhaps the only good thing that can come from Giraldo's tragic passing is an increased public awareness of this huge, national problem.
Already, media coverage of Giraldo's death returns to the recent drug overdoses that killed Heath Ledger, 28 (oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine); Brittany Murphy, 32 (hydrocodone, acetaminophen, and chlorpheniramine and L-methamphetamine); and Anna Nicole Smith(wide variety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs including Valium, methadone for pain, and anti-anxiety and anti-depression drugs). But it's not just the rich and famous that are falling victim to prescription medication abuse.
Prescription Drug Deaths in Florida - "Our Greatest Public Health Threat"
In Florida, there is an increasing number of deaths due to prescription drugs, particularly pain killers. In fact, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found oxycodone to have caused 1,185 deaths throughout Florida in 2009. According to the FDLE, this is a 249% increase in just four years (2005 compared to 2009).
Other prescription drugs that were found in the FDLE study contributing to the surge in prescription drug deaths in Florida include benzodiazepines (primarily Xanax) (1,099 deaths in 2009); methadone (720 deaths in 2009); ethyl alcohol (alcohol or ethanol) (559 deaths in 2009); and morphine (302 deaths in 2009).
"Prescription and over-the -counter abuse is growing faster than any other drug segment and law enforcement is responding with aggressive enforcement" said FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey. "FDLE and our partners are working daily to target traffickers, take out pill mills, and stop doctors who prescribe pain medicine without medical necessity."
"The illegal diversion and abuse of prescription drugs continues to be our greatest public health threat. Prescription drugs killed 2,488 Floridians in 2009, equivalent to nearly 7 deaths per day. The vast majority of these tragic deaths are due to accidental overdose, the risk of which is greatly enhanced by the mixing of potent, pure, and potentially poisonous prescription painkillers and depressants," said Bruce Grant, Director of the Office of Drug Control.
"The crackdown on pill mills initiated by the Lieutenant Governor's Prescription Drug Task Force's unprecedented partnership of law enforcement and health officials, new anti-pill mill legislation, and the proliferation of local ordinances banning new pill mills all highlight our initial efforts in a comprehensive campaign to stem this unacceptable situation. The implementation of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program in December of this year, coupled with community-based prevention strategies like drug take-back programs, physician education, and treatment are all part of the long-term strategy to reverse this deadly trend."
By on September 30, 2010 4:54 PM
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