Authorities organize new, unified effort to end opioid epidemic in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH —
Law enforcement is organizing a new, unified push to stop the opioid epidemic in the Pittsburgh area. The effort includes preventing prescription pill abuse, which officials say often leads to heroin addiction.
“I never wanted to become a heroin addict. I didn’t wake up one day and said, ‘I want to be a heroin addict,’” Abby Zorsi said.
In high school, Zorsi got good grades, played several sports and had good friends. Her problem with addiction started when she had her wisdom teeth removed and was given a prescription for pain killers.
“I was prescribed a whole bottle of Vicodin that I just didn’t need. I went through it fast,” Zorsi said.
She added that her pain was gone in about three days, but she kept taking the pills.
“A week, not even, and I was addicted to these pills, and I didn’t really know it yet,” Zorsi said.
She said when she finished the first bottle of pills, getting a refill was easy.
“They never questioned me. I don’t think it ever came into their heads that I may be addicted to these,” Zorsi said.
Zorsi said when the pills became too expensive, people at school told her about a cheaper high: heroin. In less than a year, she was addicted and stealing from her parents to support her problem.
“Nobody wakes up in the morning and says, ‘Gee, I want to be a drug addict today,’” said Dr. John Kabazie, the program director for the Institute for Pain Medicine in Pittsburgh.
Kabazie said Zorsi’s story doesn’t surprise him.
“The intention is to help the patient and treat the patient, but unfortunately, sometimes we tend to overprescribe and clearly that’s led to the problem we have now,” Kabazie said.
He added that the problem is bigger in certain states, such as Pennsylvania, because there is no system in place to successfully monitor doctor-shopping.
“If a patient buys or is doctor-shopping in Pennsylvania and they can’t get medication in this state, they can go to another state and then come back here, and we won’t know that,” Kabazie said.
At FBI headquarters in Pittsburgh, the plan to attack the problem has changed. From local to federal, all levels of law enforcement now are involved. Agents are being trained to look out for physical traits associated with prescription pill abuse. Still, the one thing missing in Pennsylvania is the prescription drug monitoring program that many states already have in place.
“It would be tremendously helpful for the state of Pennsylvania once we are on board with this prescription monitoring program to have a better gauge of the activity,” FBI Supervisory Special Agent Shawn Brokos said.
Filed under: General Problems
U knowe what….I don’t give a dam about some kid under 18,,serioulsly,,,when I am being forced to endure physical pain from medical illness because some kid is a idiot,,sorry don’t care about that kid at all!!!But theres the problem,,,we are being compared and punished because some kid wants to be an idiot,,,why??Why can’t the distinguish between children and adults over 18??!!!there not,,they are lumping us all into 1,,,,and that’s wrong,,we are adults w/medical issues that are painful and they r tortureing us and committing genocide w.each ,”hoop,” they force us to jump threw!!!EVERY PARENT WHO’S KID CHOOSES TO BE AN IDIOT,,,REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE THEIR REVENGE OUT ON SOMEONE ELSE,NOT THE MEDICALLY ILL W/PAINFUL MEDICAL CONDITION WHO NEED ,MEDICINE TO SURVIVE A DECENT LIFE!!!!MARY
I worked in the dental field for many years and oral surgeons would only give a single prescription, no refills. They had to be seen in order to get anymore and they had to have a dry socket or an infection in order for a refill.
Next no one forced her to continue to take the pills nor get a refill. That was HER choice. She liked the feeling so she kept taking them, that is what happens when people with ACUTE pain are given narcotics. They get a euphoric feeling and like it therefore it begins and they keep looking for that feeling over and over and over again and in order to get it they need to take more then prescribed then when they can not get anymore prescriptions they find other avenues to get the feeling they like and want and at this point need.
SO PLeASe quit blaming the doctors, pharmacists etc. and see the problem for what it tuly is….a person own choice. No one else is to be blamed as the drugs were never shoved down their throats.
These kids have other problems…its not due to the pills. She could have easily gotten into the parents liquor cabinet. I don’t know an oral surgeon that has ever written for more than 20 tops of pain meds (3 days) and if you want a refill you need to go back for a re check, including Tylenol 3.