Florida’s treasure coast is a stretch of pacific beach from Sebastian to Palm Beach. Tragic drug overdoses there, are not uncommon. With little help from the state, The St. Lucie Sheriff’s Department took action following the loss of Jaclyn Kinkade, a local beauty, who found herself hooked on prescription pain killers. 2010 treasure coast overdoses were recorded at 91. In fact, all of Florida recorded 1270 overdose deaths in the fist half of 2010. That’s 7 deaths per day. What makes this alarming, is that, this is prescription drugs we are talking about. In 2009, prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) was passed in Florida and it is on the chopping block. The Florida Pain Clinic Society supports monitoring, however, the “less government is more” crowd led by Governor Scott’s opposition want to get rid of it. 42 other states have PDMP and States in the Southeast U.S. are frustrated with Florida’s position as the America’s biggest illegal prescription drug source. links by JJ
DadOnFire 
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March 8, 2011 at 10:39 am
Tom at Recovery Helpdesk
7 deaths a day is really shocking. Can you imagine if someone or something else was killing 7 (mostly young) people a day in Florida? Much more would be done.
I think much more needs to be done than a prescription monitoring system though. Direct overdose prevention, intervention and treatment programs need to be implemented. People who use opiates need to have the information and tools they need to prevent, interrupt and treat opiate overdoses.
Also, more drug treatment needs to be available. You can remove diverted pain pills from Florida pain clinics from the street, but if a large pool of untreated opiate users still remains they will likely turn to heroin or imported pain pills (not an improvement) not just spontaneously quit using.
March 8, 2011 at 10:42 am
Tom at Recovery Helpdesk
(Take a survey geared towards all mothers of loved ones afflicted with addiction to prescription pain killers or heroin)….
It’s a survey of mothers with young adult or adult children who are addicted to heroin or prescription pain killers. It’s only 5 questions
and it’s anonymous. With over 30 responses so far, the data is very interesting. I’m hoping to get at least 50 responses to get a good sample
of opinions. I will be sharing the results too, of course. Moms can go to http://www.recoveryhelpdesk.com to take the survey. Thanks!
March 16, 2011 at 7:54 am
Barbara
Okay is it just me or does it bother you that the police took action only after a “local beauty” died?????????????????????????????????????? I wonder how that made the families of the thousands of others feel who’s loved one was not a pretty blond girl.
March 16, 2011 at 10:42 am
Dadonfire
Barbara, I’ll let you make the conclusions. People do need to know just how close to home this can hit them. Its a big mess and the State of Florida chooses ignorance on the issue with the Governor only concerned with cutting. Tom makes a good point too, about street drugs.