I've decided that 2014 is the "Year of the Pharmacist." As we see the pharmacy profession and pharmacy industry transform before our eyes, stay tuned for information you need to stay current. We try to explore subjects that are timely and relevant to pharmacy, and propose topics you may be thinking about.

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Happy New Year! Wecome to the Year of the Pharmacist!

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“I trust my drug dealer. I’ve had him for ten years.”

Customer: “Do you have real Xanax back there?”

Pharmacist: “All of the drugs in the pharmacy are real and approved by the FDA, ma’am.”

Customer: “I think I got some bad Xanax.  I don’t feel right.”

Pharmacist: “If you’re not well, I think you should go to the hospital to be checked.  There’s been a lot of synthetic Xanax in the area and it’s very dangerous.”

Customer: “No.  I trust my drug dealer.  I’ve had him for ten years.”

I heard this and didn’t know if I wanted to cry, put it on a t-shirt because it’s so ridiculous, or become a Republican.  You should probably know that this posting will most likely not be politically correct, and it is 100% the views and unqualified opinions of me – the blogger.  As far as I know, my words do not represent anyone or anything other than myself.

A friend told me another one this week…  People are getting high on “bath salts,” going crazy, and becoming cannibals.  I thought she was crazy, but I called on my most trusted resource – Google – and started reading.  She’s right.  People are injecting, snorting and smoking this new designer drug.  The main synthetic “Bath Salts” ingredients:
·         mephedrone
·         MDPV
·         methylone

These chemicals, along with others formulated by “street chemists”, were being sold in gas stations and convenience stores – displayed right on the counter near the cash register.  Now they are being sold on line and from behind the counter in smoke shops and c-stores.  Customers are currently required to ask for the product by name: Ivory Dove Ultra is $16 for a 200-mg packet.  The package clearly warns that the product is not for human consumption.

Well, humans are consuming.  Earlier this month, Miami News reported a 31-year old man high on “bath salts” attacked an older man and ate his face.  The attacker could not be subdued and was shot and killed by police officers.  Other cities are reporting incidents of users acting as “psychotic ravaging beasts,” clearly a preface to the cannibalistic activities.

                BREAKING NEWS: as of June 29th, toxicology reports showed that marijuana
                was the only illegal drug in the Miami attacker’s system.  Scientists admit,
                however, that they don’t know what other chemicals to test for, or do not
                have tests developed to look for the known synthetic ingredients.

Cannibalism.  As a society, how have we gotten to this point?  I get that people can be addicted to things  - like video games, smart phones, fast food, alcohol, cigarettes.  Some is human nature – some people are predisposed more than others towards addictiveness.  But as healthcare professionals, are we required to show compassion to everyone?  My gut says we are, but I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around ravaging cannibals and kindness.

As adults, I believe we need to do whatever is required to protect our youthbut at what point is my obligation to my fellow man fulfilled?  There are many days where I feel like I’ve done my part, but then my conscience gets the better of me.  Perhaps I can find a balance of compassion and concern while not condoning one’s behavior?  I support the First Amendment as much as the next guy, but when we need the Second Amendment to protect ourselves from people making conscious decisions to use drugs like "bath salts”, you have to wonder… Where it will end?

Where is your end?  Where is your line in the sand?

Watch Me Say No

… is another download that teens can use to design their own anti-drug t-shirts, posters, and stickers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse website.  The NIDA website was created to educate adolescents (as well as parents and teachers) on the science behind prescription drug abuse.  It is hoped that understanding science-based facts will prompt teens to make better decisions about using drugs.  Teens were instrumental in developing the site to ensure the content addresses appropriate questions and timely concerns.

The non-medical use of controlled medications in teens has surpassed all illicit drugs except for marijuana.  Smart Moves, Smart Choices – a website sponsored by Dr. Drew Pinsky, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and the National Association of School Nurses – is a group dedicated to educating the public on teen prescription drug abuse.  At this time, 19% of high school students have admitted to taking a prescription medication that was not prescribed to them; 33% have admitted to trying marijuana.

Research shows that prescription and over-the-counter drugs are among the most commonly abused drugs by teens, along with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco.  Many young people access prescription drugs easily and perceive prescription medications to be less dangerous than other drugs – they believe them to be safer and have fewer side effects than street drugs.  An alarming 60% of teens who have abused prescription drugs have tried them before age 15. 

Many accuse U.S. adults of having a “casualness” about taking prescription medications – that controlled drugs are without consequence.  Some believe this attitude is helping to fuel the drug problem we now see in teens.  64% of abused prescription drugs are coming from friends or relatives; some misuse originates from a legitimate prescription.

The most abused classes of drugs are benzodiazepines, psycho stimulants, and opiates.  The most problematic class is opiates - every day, 2500 more teens use a prescription pain reliever to get high for the first time.  According to Reuters Health research released in May, one in eight U.S. teenagers has used powerful painkillers without prescriptions.  Both medical and recreational use of these drugs has increased across the United States over the last two decades, as have deaths due to painkiller overdoses.  The CDC estimates that 14,800 Americans died of an opiate overdose in 2008 – three times the number of such deaths 20 years earlier.

The health risks of drug abuse are the consequences that have plagued teens longer than our memory allows: unwanted pregnancy, intoxication, sexually transmitted diseases, violent acts, manic behavior, depression, suicide, death.  Teens who said they used prescription medication for non-medical purposes were more likely to use marijuana and binge drink, adding to the already volatile risks.

Preventing drug use before it begins is certainly the most cost-effective way to address teen drug abuse.  Successful prevention means fewer will develop substance use disorders, and the consequence of substance use – including health care, treatment costs, and criminal justice system costs – will decrease. 

What’s a fishbowl party? Teens dump random pills into a bowl and everyone takes one to see what happens.  Drug abuse is not just the problem of the individual – the cost of abuse has far reaching tentacles that touch all of us.  The adult populations can’t afford to be casual.  A potent reminder: research shows time and again that adult influencers are still the most powerful force in the lives of young people.  It is our responsibility – or even obligation - to exert that influence.