Nov. 5, 2009 : Massachusetts' OxyContin epidemic

>> Rooney: WHEN WE CONTINUE
WHAT TO DO WITH OXY CON TON
AND -- OXYCONTIN AN HEROIN
ABUSERS.
>> YOU MIGHT NOT BE A USER
OF OCTOBERY CON TIN OR
HEROIN BUT YOU'RE PAYING FOR
IT NONETHELESS.
A NEW REPORT BY A STATE
COMMISSION SAYS USE IS UP
AND ABUSE PROGRAMS ARE
COSTING A FORTUNE.
>> ADDICTION TO THE PAIN
KILLING DRUG OXYCONTIN AND
THE OPIATE HEROIN HAS BEEN
STEADILY ON THE RISE IN
MASSACHUSETTS.
AND IT'S COSTING LIVES.
ACCORDING TO A STATE REPORT
RELEASED TODAY, 3,265
RESIDENTS DIED OF
DRUG-RELATED OVERDOSES IN
THE FIVE YEARS BETWEEN 2002
AND 2007.
NOW A NEW STATE COMMISSION
IS RECOMMENDING SEVERAL WAYS
TO INTERVENE.
CLOSER MONITORING OF DOCTORS
SO PATIENTS CANNOT
PRESCRIPTION SHOP.
AND MANDATORY NOTIFICATION
TO PARENTS WHEN MINORS
OVERDOSE.
FURTHER THE REPORT SAYS 4.2
BILLION DOLLARS OF THE
BUDGET GOES TO SUBSTANCE
ABUSES AND PROPOSES A
DRASTIC CHANGE OF TREATMENT
OF LOW LEVEL DRUG OFFENDER
THE.
INSTEAD OF JAIL A 90 DAY IN
PATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM
FOLLOWED BY A YEAR OF CASE
MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT.
RELEASED PRISONERS WOULD BE
RAILROADED TO ATTEND
TREATMENT PROGRAMS.
AND SUBSTANCE ABUSERS
AWAITING TRIAL WOULD BE
OFFERED DRUG COUNSELLING.
>> ALL RIGHT WITH.
ME NOW IS STATE SENATOR
STEVEN TOLMAN, THE CHAIRMAN
OF THE OXYCONTIN AND HEROIN
COMMISSION AND MICHAEL BAYER,
A FORMER HEROIN ADDICT.
WELCOME TO BOTH YOU.
>> I FIND IT FASCINATING
THAT THE COMBINATION HERE
WITH HEROIN AND OCTOBERY CON
TIN BECAUSE THERE IS A WHOLE
RANGE, A PAN OPLY OF DRUGS
IN BETWEEN.
BUT THESE ARE THE TWO THAT
CAUSE THE BIGGEST HEADACHES.
ONE IS PRESCRIBED AND THE
OTHER IS NOT.
>> EMILY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY
HAND-IN-HAND, YOU SEE.
OXYCONTIN WAS NEVER ALLOWED,
YOU KNOW, OXYCONTIN IS
ESSENTIAL SYNTHETIC HEROIN.
IT AND WHAT ONLY APPROVED BY
THE FDA IN 1996.
IT A 12 HOUR TIME RELEASE
PAIN RELIEVER.
HOWEVER IT'S NOT TAMPER
PROOF.
SO THAT INITIALLY KID WAS
CHEW IT AND THEN BREAK UP
THE TIME RELEASE AND GET
REALLY HIGH.
AND THEN THEY FOUND THAT
THEY COULD CRUSH IT AND
SNORT IT AND THEN THEY GET
REALLY HIGH, AN OPIATE TYPE
HIGH.
THE PROBLEM WITH WHY
OXYCONTIN AND HEROIN GO
TOGETHER IS BECAUSE YOU GET
ADDICTED TO IT VERY RAPIDLY.
AND THEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD
THE PILLS, THEY'RE $80 A
PIECE.
AND SOMEBODY WILL COME ALONG
AND SAY HEY, WHY ARE YOU
BUYING $80.
I CAN GIVE A BAG OF HAIR
WAYNE FOR $10, AND IT IS SO
POWERFUL NOW, THE HEROIN IS
SO POWERFUL, NOT LIKE IT WAS
BACK AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR
AND EARLIER DAY APPROXIMATES
IN THE STREETS OF
MASSACHUSETTS, YOU CAN
SENATOR IT -- SNORT IT AND
UTILIZE IT.
IT CAN BE TAKEN, INHALED.
AND SO THAT'SED BA.
SO OXYCONTIN IS NOT REALLY
LIKE A GATEWAY TO HEROIN.
I SAY IT IS A ROCKET SHIP TO
HEROIN.
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
LITERALLY HUNDREDS, MANY,
MANY THOUSANDS OF YOUNG KIDS
WHO RECREATIONALLY TRIED AN
OXYCONTIN OR TRIED OXYCONTIN
BEFORE THEY KNEW IT, IT
GRABS THEM.
>> I KNOWN PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN PRESKROOBED IT AND
GOTTEN ADDICTED YOU KNOW FOR
SHOULDER INJURIES AND THAT
KIND OF THING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> OXYCONTIN WAS A LITTLE
BEFORE YOUR TIME.
YOU HAD A HEROIN ADDICTION.
>> I'M ONE OF THOSE OLD TIME
THAT STEVE TALKS ABOUT BACK
IN THE VIETNAM WAR ERA WHERE
I PICKED UP HEROIN.
>> IN VIETNAM.
>> NO, NO, ON THE STREETS OF
DOVER CHESTER, SOUTH BOSTON.
BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT, SAME
ADDICTION BUT A DIFFERENT
HIGH THEN.
AND THE OXYCONTIN WAS.
BUT I SEE THE POWER OF
OXYCONTIN BECAUSE I HAD BEEN
PRESCRIBED OXYCONTIN FOR, I
HAD A KIDNY OPERATION.
AND I TOOK SIX PILLS I THINK
OVER A WEEK.
AND I HAD A JAR OF 50 BILLS.
I MEAN I THREW THEM DOWN THE
TOILET BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE
HAVING THAT STUFF AROUND MY
HOUSE BUT I COULD SEE IT
BEING DANGEROUS.
>> Rooney: JUST TALK TO ME A
MINUTE ABOUT TREATMENT.
I'M WONDERING, WHAT WORKS?
WHAT WORKED FOR YOU?
IS THERE A SILVER BULLET,
METHADONE BUT EVERYBODY GETS
HOOKED ON THAT.
>> TRADITIONAL DETOX.
I WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FRUIT
SALAD DRUG ADDICT.
>> Rooney: WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN.
>> I WOULD TAKE ANYTHING AND
EVERYTHING.
>> Rooney: I DON'T MEAN TO
LAUGH.
>> AND I LAUGHED WHEN THEY
SAID IT TO.
BUT I WOULD TAKE ANYTHING IN
THE LAST YEARS OF MY
ADDICTIONS IT WAS MOSTLY
COCAINE.
THE FIRST TEN YEARS WAS
HEROIN.
PEOPLE DO THAT, SWITCH
SOMETIMES.
BUT I WOULD GO TO AA AS
OFTEN AS I CAN.
I WENT TO DETOX THAT IS WHAT
THEY PLE DESCRIBED.
THAT WAS MY IN PATIENT WAS
THE DETOX.
THE OUTPATIENT WAS AA.
PEOPLE ARGUE, YOU KNOW, I'M
A DRUG ADDICT.
AA DOESN'T WORK.
BUT IN 20 YEARS OF SON
RYEITY I CAN TELL YOU I HAVE
SEEN A THOUSAND PEOPLE GO TO
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS AND GET
RECOVERY FROM ADDICTION,
PERIOD.
>> Rooney: FROM ALL KINDS OF
ADDICTIONS.
>> YEAH.
>> Rooney: I'M INTERESTED IN
A COUPLE OF THINGS IN YOUR
RECOMMENDATIONS HERE.
FIRST OF ALL THE
PRESCRIPTION MANAGEMENT
PROGRAM WHICH SAYS TRACK
DOCTORS WHO KIND OF ABUSE
THEIR AUTHORITY TO
PRESCRIBE.
WE DON'T DO THAT ALREADY?
ISN'T THERE A COMPUTERIZED
SYSTEM, SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW,
PRESCRIBES A BOTTLE OF 50
OXYCONTIN, WHAT, SO WHO THIS
IS THIS PERSON WHO IS
GETTING.
>> Rooney: EMILY THERE ARE
NO GUIDELINES IT IS AN
ABSOLUTE DISGRACE AND WE
HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE
FAR NOR EFFECTIVE IN
CONTROLLING WHAT GOES ON IN
THAT WHOLE ISSUING OF PAIN
MEDICATION.
HOWEVER WE ARE NOT UTILIZING
IT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE SO
AGGRESSIVE ON THAT
PARTICULAR PIECE.
LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
I COULD HAVE A PRESCRIPTION,
A FAKE PRESCRIPTION,
WHATEVER, I COULD GO TO
ARLINGTON, BRIGHTON,
WATERTOWN N CAMBRIDGE IN THE
SAME DAY AND FILL UP ALL
KINDS OF PRESCRIPTIONS.
WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY SO
THAT STEVEN TOLMAN JUST
PLUGS IN, YOU JUST GOT ONE
IN WATERTOWN AND THEY SEE
IT.
ADDITIONALLY WE COULD
CONTROL HOW MANY DOCTORS,
HOW MANY PRESCRIPTIONS
DOCTORS ARE ACTUALLY
PRESCRIBING.
REMEMBER JUST A FEW YEARS
AGO THERE WAS A DR. BROWN IN
WAREHAM SANDWICH AREA
ACTUALLY PRESCRIBED
ONE-THIRD, I BELIEVE, OF ALL
OF THE OXYCONTIN
PRESCRIPTIONS IN THE STATE
IT WAS LIKE 287
PRESCRIPTIONS.
>> AND NOBODY WAS ON
THAT-TO-THAT.
>> NOBODY WAS ON TO IT.
IT WENT ON AND ON AND ON
UNTIL FINALLY THEY ARRESTED
HIM SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE ARE A WHOLE BUNCH OF
RECOMMENDATIONS BUT I WANT
TO CLARIFY, EARLIER IN THE
ANNOUNCEMENT IT SAID 4.5
BILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT WAS SPENT ON RECOVERY
PROGRAMS.
>> IT SAID IT COST THE
STATE.
>> AND IT DOES IT IS
SHOCKING, ONE FIFTH OF THE
STATE BUDGET BUT THAT
INCLUDES --.
>> Rooney: I KNOW.
>> AND INCARCERATION AND
COURT COSTS AND HOSPITAL
COSTS AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT THE COST ON SOCIETY
IS PROHIBITIVE.
AND THAT WHAT I AM SAYING
AND WHAT THE REPORT REALLY
IS SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE A
FRAGMENTED SYSTEM OF
RECOVERY.
AND I'M ONE THAT BELIEVES
STRONGLY IN LONG-TERM
TREATMENT TO GET A PERSON
BET WEDNESDAY I AM CURIOUS
ABOUT JAIL.
DID DOW ANY TIME.
>> WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, YES,
I DID.
>> AND WAS IT FOR HEROIN OR
BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU DID
WHEN YOU WERE ON HEROIN.
>> IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE
LIFESTYLE AND THE THINGS
THAT I DID.
>> WHAT DOES JAIL DO FOR
ANYBODY WHO HAS A DRUG
PROBLEM?
>> IT WILL DETOX YOU.
AND THAT IS ONLY SOMETIMES.
BECAUSE THE AVAILABILITY OF
DRUGS IN PRISON.
>> IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY
KIND OF IN HOUSE TREATMENT
AND FOLLOWUP, YOU NEED TO
FOLLOWUP THE LONG-TERM CARE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT
SHORT TERM.
YOU JUST DON'T GET IT.
>> SO ARE YOU KIND OF
RECOMMENDING THAT PEOPLE
DON'T GO TO JAIL.
>> NO, I'M NOT SAYING YOU
DON'T GO TO IL GENTLEMAN.
IF YOU ARE A VIOLENT
OFFENDER.
>> Rooney: I'M TALKING ABOUT
A USER LIKE MICHAEL.
>> EMILY IT IS STARTLING TO
KNOW THAT RIGHT HERE IN
MASSACHUSETTS WE HAVE 1900
NONVIOLENT DRUG CONVICTIONS
WHERE PEOPLE ARE
INCARCERATED IN JAIL BECAUSE
OF THE LAWS, MANDATORY, AND
IT'S COSTING US $7 O 0
MILLION.
>> MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO
REALIZE THAT.
>> IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU JUST ASKED
MICHAEL IS SO IMPORTANT
BECAUSE YOU DON'T GET
TREATMENT IN JAIL.
THERE IS TREATMENT IN JAIL
BUT IT IS PRIORITIZED.
IT'S PRIORITIZE FOR PEOPLE.
AND IT IS JUST A BACKWARD
SYSTEM.
AND WITH A LITTLE
INNOVATE -- INNOVATION AND A
LITTLE BIT MORE
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ALL
PARTIES, WE COULD STRENGTHEN
THE SYSTEM AND GET MUCH
BETTER RESULTS.
>> AT THAT POINT IN YOUR
LIFE, ALL THESE PROGRAMS,
WOULD YOU HAVE GONE INTO A
PROGRAM OR JUST SAID WE'RE
GOING TO DO MY TIME AND GET
OUT.
>> I WASN'T READY UNTIL I
WAS READY.
AND THAT WAS A LONG TIME.
>> YOU CAN'T FORCE A
PROGRAM.
>> ALTHOUGH I HAVE TO SAY
BACK IN DECEMBER, EARLY 70s,
LATE '60s WHEN THIS WAS
GOING ON, THERE WEREN'T A
LOT OF INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.
MAYBE NOT A REAL BAD
CRIMINAL, MAYBE YOU HAVE A
PROBLEM WITH SUBSTANCE
ABUSE.
THAT JUST WASN'T THERE THEN.
AND I THINK IT CAME ON BOARD,
WAS VERY STRONG FOR YEARS
AND I THINK IS FADING AWAY
BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL
REASONS.
>> Rooney: I'M JUST CURIOUS
FIRST OF ALL, HOW THESE
THING LICENSE INSTITUTED IF
AT ALL.
I MEAN DO YOU HAVE TO GO
THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS.
>> THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS
WE WILL MAKE.
AND WORKING WITH THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH AND
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH SURE WE
COULD DO THAT.
BUT IT IS SIMPLE TO DO.
JUST PASS THE LEGISLATION.
AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT WE
DO.
MAYBE NOT EVERY
RECOMMENDATION THERE ARE 20
RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY ARE ALL FISCALICALLY
RESPONSIBLE.
THEY ARE ALL ACCOUNTABLE TO
THE TAXPAYERS.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO THE
MUMS AND DADS WHO HAVE AN A
DICKED ONE AND THE SYSTEM
HAS LET THEM DOWN T IS TO
PLUG ALL THE HOLES AND TO
PUT A TESTIMONY IN PLACE SO
WE GET MUCH BETTER RESULTS
AND IT'S EASY TO DO.
>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT, GOOD
WORK ON THERE, STEVEN TOLMAN,
THANKS FOR COMING AND
MICHAEL THANKS FOR SHARING
YOUR STORY.