Health News
- At National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit, Beshear Cites Kentucky's Successes
Gov. Steve Beshear told attendees at the 2014 National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit in Atlanta on Wednesday about the progress Kentucky has made in the last two years in its battle to combat abuse of prescription drugs. "Prescription drug abuse was...
- Spring-clean The Cabinet And Dump Your Drugs Saturday, April 27
Dump your unwanted prescription drugs this Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which in the past has coordinated with local law enforcement to haul in more than than 2 million pounds or 1,018...
- To Implement Law Aimed At Prescription Drug Abuse, Licensing Boards Issue Regulations That Some Say Are Too Expansive
Ambien and Ritalin are among the drugs that will be tracked through the state's drug monitoring system, with medical licensure boards issuing emergency regulations that are more expansive than originally required in a law aimed at curbing prescription...
- Beshear Oks Prescription Bill, Telling Pill Mills, 'get Out Of This State'
Saying it couldn't get to his desk quickly enough, Gov. Steve Beshear signed a bill aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse in celebration today, warning so-called pill mills to "Get out of this state, because we're coming after you." House Bill...
- 2 Out Of 3 Kentuckians Disposing Of Prescription Drugs Improperly, Poll Finds
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News At a summit on prescription drug abuse last week, Attorney General Jack Conway spoke of experiences he's had talking to middle schoolers about prescription drugs. When he asks if they know someone who has tried...
Health News
April 28 is National Drug Take-Back Day; three Kentuckians die each day from prescription drug abuse
April 28 is National Drug Take-Back Day, with Kentuckians encouraged to dispose of the expired, unused and unwanted drugs in their medicine cabinet at locations set up by law enforcement across the state. The national effort comes on the heels of Kentucky legislators passing a bill Friday evening aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse.
Dozens of sites will be set up across the state and will accept medication from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To find a disposal location nearby, click here.
"Prescription drug abuse is the most urgent substance abuse issue facing Kentucky ? one that kills nearly three Kentuckians every day ? and we know that number is woefully underreported," Gov. Steve Beshear said in a statement. "We can't stress enough that medications, once they are no longer needed for their prescribed purposes, should be disposed of properly to reduce their risk of being diverted and abused."
A national survey found that 70 percent of people aged 12 and over who took prescription drugs for non-prescribed reasons got the drugs from a friend or relative. That includes raiding their medicine cabinets.
Disposing of the drugs properly is also important since some medications, if just flushed or thrown in the garbage, can leach into the water table and contaminate the water supply.
Since take-back days started being hosted by law enforcement, 500 tons of medication at more than 5,300 sites have been disposed of nationwide, though a recent poll found 2 out of 3 Kentuckians still dispose of their medication improperly.
House Bill 1, which passed Friday, left the state's prescription drug-monitoring system under the control of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the doctor-controlled Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure rather than move it to the attorney general's office. It will require doctors and pharmacists who prescribe or dispense Schedule II and III drugs, such as oxycodone and morphine, to use the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System. Only about 25 percent of Kentucky physicians now use KASPER.
Dozens of sites will be set up across the state and will accept medication from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To find a disposal location nearby, click here.
"Prescription drug abuse is the most urgent substance abuse issue facing Kentucky ? one that kills nearly three Kentuckians every day ? and we know that number is woefully underreported," Gov. Steve Beshear said in a statement. "We can't stress enough that medications, once they are no longer needed for their prescribed purposes, should be disposed of properly to reduce their risk of being diverted and abused."
A national survey found that 70 percent of people aged 12 and over who took prescription drugs for non-prescribed reasons got the drugs from a friend or relative. That includes raiding their medicine cabinets.
Disposing of the drugs properly is also important since some medications, if just flushed or thrown in the garbage, can leach into the water table and contaminate the water supply.
Since take-back days started being hosted by law enforcement, 500 tons of medication at more than 5,300 sites have been disposed of nationwide, though a recent poll found 2 out of 3 Kentuckians still dispose of their medication improperly.
House Bill 1, which passed Friday, left the state's prescription drug-monitoring system under the control of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the doctor-controlled Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure rather than move it to the attorney general's office. It will require doctors and pharmacists who prescribe or dispense Schedule II and III drugs, such as oxycodone and morphine, to use the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting System. Only about 25 percent of Kentucky physicians now use KASPER.
- At National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit, Beshear Cites Kentucky's Successes
Gov. Steve Beshear told attendees at the 2014 National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit in Atlanta on Wednesday about the progress Kentucky has made in the last two years in its battle to combat abuse of prescription drugs. "Prescription drug abuse was...
- Spring-clean The Cabinet And Dump Your Drugs Saturday, April 27
Dump your unwanted prescription drugs this Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as part of the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which in the past has coordinated with local law enforcement to haul in more than than 2 million pounds or 1,018...
- To Implement Law Aimed At Prescription Drug Abuse, Licensing Boards Issue Regulations That Some Say Are Too Expansive
Ambien and Ritalin are among the drugs that will be tracked through the state's drug monitoring system, with medical licensure boards issuing emergency regulations that are more expansive than originally required in a law aimed at curbing prescription...
- Beshear Oks Prescription Bill, Telling Pill Mills, 'get Out Of This State'
Saying it couldn't get to his desk quickly enough, Gov. Steve Beshear signed a bill aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse in celebration today, warning so-called pill mills to "Get out of this state, because we're coming after you." House Bill...
- 2 Out Of 3 Kentuckians Disposing Of Prescription Drugs Improperly, Poll Finds
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News At a summit on prescription drug abuse last week, Attorney General Jack Conway spoke of experiences he's had talking to middle schoolers about prescription drugs. When he asks if they know someone who has tried...