Drug use and abuse in five US communities

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Prescription drug abuse and diversion are significant public health concerns.
• The effectiveness of multiple prescription regulations in curbing drug abuse requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the prevalence of drug abuse in the United States.
• To evaluate the hypothesis that multiple prescription regulations reduce drug abuse and diversion.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the five-site Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study, including 18,571 adults.
• Comparison of drug abuse and diversion rates across five US sites with varying prescription regulations.
• Inclusion of California's long-standing triplicate prescription law for Schedule II drugs as a key regulatory variable.

Main Results:

• Drug use, abuse, and dependence rates were significantly higher in Los Angeles compared to other ECA sites.
• The proportion of users progressing to abuse was consistent across all sites (approximately 20%).
• Most individuals diagnosed with prescription drug abuse obtained drugs from non-physician sources, indicating widespread diversion.

Conclusions:

• The California triplicate prescription law did not demonstrate effectiveness in reducing prescription drug abuse or diversion.
• Drug diversion from legal channels appears to be a common issue across all surveyed sites.
• Further research is needed to understand the complex factors contributing to prescription drug abuse and diversion.