Teen abuse of prescription drugs has increased, in part driven by teens' and parents' attitudes toward stimulant abuse, indicates the latest Partnership Attitude Tracking Study.

The Nevada Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to participate in NABP PMP InterConnect^®, the system that facilitates securing sharing of PMP data across state lines.

With the aim of curbing prescription drug abuse, bipartisan legislation that would reclassify drug products containing hydrocodone as Schedule II controlled substances (CS) was introduced to Congress on March 20, 2013.

Aimed to reduce prescription drug abuse and diversion, legislation that would establish an expanded PMP in Pennsylvania is under consideration by state lawmakers. 

Prescription drugs were involved in 60% of drug overdose deaths, which increased for the 11th consecutive year, reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Aimed to address prescription drug misuse, addiction, and overdose deaths, the Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (SB 348) was reintroduced in the United States Senate.

NABP to share information on NABP PMP InterConnect and AWARxE.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee recommended reclassifying hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II controlled substances after a two-day meeting.

NABP PMP InterConnect^®, the system that facilitates the secure transfer of prescription monitoring program (PMP) data across state lines to authorized users, continues to help prevent the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs. 

As FDA continues to seek a balance between minimizing opioid drug abuse and enabling the appropriate treatment of pain, the agency will hold a two-day public hearing to obtain information.

Sixteen defendants in California face charges related to illegally obtaining and distributing more than 900,000 OxyContin® pills. The defendants are charged with being part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed the pills, which were obtained in part through fraud...

The Medicine Abuse Project, a new initiative from the Partnership at Drugfree.org, aims to prevent half a million teens from abusing medicine within five years. The project features an educational Web site, public service announcements, videos, and fact sheets for...

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has launched a newly designed Web site featuring new navigation and increased functionality. The new drop-down menu makes it easier to search for specific information and the home page highlights recent news and DEA initiatives. Shortcut...

The practice of doctor or pharmacy shopping to illegally obtain prescription drugs was linked to drug-related deaths in a study using data from West Virginia’s PMP. Researchers analyzed Schedule II through IV prescription data from the West Virginia Controlled Substance...

Responding to the significant increase in deaths due to overdose of illicit or prescription drugs, federal legislators have introduced a bill that would fund programs to prevent overdose death and require additional tracking of overdose deaths. If it becomes law,...

Educating teens about the realities of abusing drugs, including prescription drugs, will be the focus of the National Drug Facts Week (NDFW), a program of the NIDA. NDFW is a health observance week for teens that aims to shatter the...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in the states of Idaho, Louisiana, and South Dakota have executed a memorandum of understanding with NABP to participate in the NABP PMP InterConnect®, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs,...

New research on the immune system’s role in addiction may help scientists develop a drug to treat and prevent opioid addiction, including addiction to prescription painkillers. Focusing on the immune system’s response to opioids such as morphine, researchers from the...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is pleased to announce its one-year anniversary of sharing prescription monitoring program (PMP) data through its NABP PMP InterConnectSM program. The NABP InterConnect allows authorized users in participating states to request patients’...

Developed to help fight prescription drug abuse, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has launched an online prescription monitoring program (PMP) to provide controlled substance prescription dispensing history to authorized health care providers and law enforcement. The PMP, known...

A bill to require manufacturers to formulate tamper-proof versions of prescription opiate painkillers was introduced to the US House of Representatives on Thursday, July 19, 2012. With the aim of deterring abuse of the drugs, the Stop Tampering of Prescription...

Since the introduction of tamper-resistant OxyContin in 2010, abuse of other prescription opioids, as well as heroin, has increased, report researchers from Washington University in St Louis. The reformulated pill is more difficult to crush or dissolve, helping to prevent...

Targeting drug diversion by employees, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that investigative assistance will be offered to every nursing home, assisted living agency, and residential care facility in Ohio. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Ohio Attorney...

As part of the federal initiative to address the prescription drug abuse, misuse, and overdose epidemic, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioids. The REMS introduces...

A multi-agency operation has resulted in charges against seven doctors and seven clinic owners on state racketeering violations related to the operation of illegal pain clinics throughout Florida. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that the defendants “face 144 violations of...

Targeting prescription drug abuse, a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) program will enable states to integrate prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) into electronic health records and other health information technology systems. SAMHSA announced that the Prescription Drug...

The launch of pilot programs as part of the Enhancing Access to PDMPs Project, in which NABP is participating, was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)....

Consumers across the country will have another opportunity to help prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by disposing of any unneeded, unwanted medications during the fifth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, September 29, 2012....

A record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications were turned in for safe disposal at collection sites across the country, as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. DEA coordinated with law...

An estimated one in 30 to 40 teens began using prescription opioids non-medically at age 16, according to a new study. Researchers used data from the 2004 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to determine when...

An increase in the number of babies born addicted to opiates is likely impacted in part by the rise in abuse of prescription pain drugs, according to the authors of a recent medical study. Researchers concluded that the number of...

Prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) in Arizona and Kansas have gone live with the NABP PMP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element for early detection, intervention, and prevention of substance abuse...

Federal CSIII Classification for PSE May Hold High Potential to Reduce Meth Trafficking and Abuse, NASCSA White Paper Concludes Designating pseudoephedrine (PSE) as a Schedule III controlled substance (CS) at the federal level could have a high potential impact on...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today issued a report to raise awareness about how rogue Internet drugs sites are preying on consumers’ fears about drug shortages. With the most critical shortages involving cancer, antibiotic, nutrition, and electrolyte-imbalance...

The White House 2012 National Drug Control Strategy continues the administration’s focus on substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery, including the prevention of prescription drug abuse. As noted in the White House executive summary, the strategy includes continued efforts to...

To help fight the growing prescription drug abuse epidemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is hosting the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday, April 28, 2012. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, thousands of DEA-coordinated collection...

Stakeholders participating in the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit were encouraged by Dr Ileana Arias, principle deputy director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to focus on collaborative efforts to battle the epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Dr Arias...

Distribution of pain medications oxycodone and hydrocodone has risen dramatically between 2000 and 2010, particularly in certain areas of the US, according to an Associated Press (AP) analysis of Drug Enforcement Administration data. The report indicates that distribution of hydrocodone...

The Kentucky prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) program, has executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NABP to participate in the NABP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of...

The North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy has taken action against three out-of-state pharmacies for illegally selling tramadol via Internet sites to North Dakota residents, as reported by The Jamestown Sun. The three pharmacies – located in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and...

The Kentucky prescription monitoring program (PMP), known as the Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) program, has agreed to join the NABP PMP InterConnectSM, the system that facilitates the secure sharing of data between state PMPs, a key element...

Aimed to foster a better understanding and cooperation among all stakeholders in the prescription drug abuse arena, the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit will take place April 10-12, 2012, in Orlando, FL. Keynote speakers include national officials leading the fight...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is offering attendees the opportunity to earn up to nine contact hours (0.9 CEUs) of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-accredited continuing pharmacy education (CPE) credit at its 108th Annual Meeting. The meeting...

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) is pleased to welcome Gil Kerlikowske, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) as a speaker at its 108th Annual Meeting. Kerlikowske will discuss how the prescription drug abuse...

The Arkansas Prescription Drug Summit will take place on Thursday, April 26, 2012, providing a forum for discussion about prescription drug abuse and prevention efforts in the state. Those in the fields of pharmacy, law enforcement, addiction treatment, prevention, and...

A Los Angeles County doctor has been charged with second-degree murder for issuing prescriptions that led to the drug-overdose deaths of three patients in 2009. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng, who co-operated a medical office in Rowland Heights, CA, since 2005, is...

A Delaware pharmacist will face charges related to the distribution of OxyContin® pills for sale to drug dealers, as reported by Delawareonline. The distribution scheme was uncovered by federal agents during an investigation in 2009 and the pharmacist, Bruce E....

Over half of parents, about 56%, reported that their children have access to their prescription pain medications, in an online survey conducted by the Partnership at Drugfree.org. The study surveyed 305 Massachusetts parents with one or more children ages 12-25,...

Las Vegas physician Henri Wetselaar and his assistant David Litwin, along with pharmacist Jason C. Smith, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that they conspired to unlawfully distribute large quantities of oxycodone in and around Las...

An estimated 7 million people used prescription drugs nonmedically in 2009 and 2010, second only to rates of marijuana use, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). The NSDUH, a survey conducted annually by the...

In Iowa a new Prescription Abuse Reduction Task Force convened on August 9, 2011, for the first of several meetings scheduled to address the rising rates of prescription drug abuse in the state. “The goal of the task force is...

Originally published in the August 2011 NABP Newsletter Unintentional drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury death in 17 states, reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden, MD, in a press release on the White...

Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing for the adoption of two bills to prevent prescription drug abuse and to penalize individuals convicted of related crimes. The Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 2011 (S507), introduced to the United States...

Officials in Michigan agencies have stressed the alarming rates of overdose and addiction associated with prescription drug abuse in the state. According to the Detroit Free Press, in Michigan, of every 100,000 patient visits to the emergency room due to...

A new report from Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) concludes that nearly 15% of all United States high school students have misused prescription controlled substance drugs. The report “Adolescent Substance Use: America’s #1 Public Health...

Ohio legislation aimed to fight illegally operating pain clinics is currently being considered by the state’s senate. As explained in the May 2011 Ohio State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter, the bill (HB 93) includes the following provisions: “First of all,...

Rogue Internet drug outlets continue to place consumers at risk by selling counterfeit drugs and by indiscriminately distributing prescription drugs, including controlled substances – thus, fueling misuse and addiction – as stressed in the NABP “Internet Drug Outlet Identification Program...

Web Site for AWARxE Consumer Protection Program Enhanced to Provide Important, Timely Information on Prescription Drug Abuse The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) today announced the relaunch of its AWARxE™ Web site to provide consumers seeking information on...

The AWARxE™ Web site has been updated with inviting, easy-to-read, and timely content to more effectively reach consumers seeking information on prescription drug abuse and medication safety. As the primary communication vehicle of the AWARxE consumer protection program, AWARERx.org aims...

Originally published in the March 2011 NABP Newsletter The AWARxE™ Web site has been updated with inviting, easy-to-read, and timely content to more effectively reach consumers seeking information on prescription drug abuse and medication safety. The site will relaunch in...

In response to reports that Maine has the highest proportion of residents being treated for pain pill addiction and a fivefold increase in pharmacy robberies from 2009 to 2010, federal agencies will join the state’s law enforcement in efforts to...

One in nine adolescents received a prescription for medications with a high potential for abuse in 2007, a rate almost twice the 1994 levels, according to a study published in the December 2010 issue of Pediatrics. The researchers did not...

A study by researchers at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy shows that prescription drug abuse led to more than 1,600 deaths in Tennessee over a three-year period. According to an article in the Tennessean, the unreleased study shows...

Published in the May 2010 Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter Arkansas has the worst teen prescription pain reliever abuse problem in the entire US. (SAMHSA, 2007, as reported in ONDCP Teens and Prescription Drugs report, February 2007) By the...

How Patients Should Know What They Are Taking, Secure Their Prescription Medications, and Properly Dispose of Prescription Drugs Published in the May 2010 Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter On March 12, 2010, the Arkansas Drug Director, Fran Flener, kicked...

Repritned from the January 2009 Minnesota Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. As was noted in the last quarterly Newsletter, the Board recently disciplined five pharmacists and one pharmacy for involvement with Internet Web sites that offered to arrange for the sale...

Reprinted from the October 2008 Minnesota Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. As noted in this issue’s Disciplinary Actions, the Board recently disciplined five pharmacists and one pharmacy for involvement with Internet Web sites that offered to arrange for the sale of...

Published in the December 2007 Idaho Board of Pharmacy Newsletter Effective July 1, 2007, the addition of a new section to the Uniform Controlled Substance Act, Section 37-2727, Idaho Code allows for the operation of a narcotic treatment program in...

Reprinted from the July 2007 Montana Board of Pharmacy Newsletter. Used with permission from the Washington State Board  of Pharmacy. The Board receives many calls about the administration and dispensing of methadone and Suboxone® (buprenorphine/naloxone). Methadone and buprenorphine may be...

Published in the July 2006 Washington State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter The Board receives many calls about the administration and dispensing of methadone and Suboxone® (buprenorphine/naloxone). Methadone may be used for the treatment of pain and any pharmacy may dispense...

Published in the June 2006 Kentucky Board of Pharmacy Newsletter In this age of substance abuse, there are a multitude of compounds being consumed by various populations. No longer are we only concerned about “street drugs” and access to prescription...