(SIOUX LOOKOUT, ON) The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is warning the public about the dangers of prescription drug use.
Prescription drug abuse is a growing public health and safety problem in Canada, particularly among youth. In the 2012 Canadian
Alcohol and Drug Use Monitoring Survey, approximately 410,000 Canadians reported abusing prescription drugs like opioid pain relievers.
Prescription drug abuse is intentionally taking medication in a way that was not prescribed. The most common types of prescription drugs abused include:
• opioids (used to treat pain),
• benzodiazepines (used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders), and
• stimulants (used to treat attention deficit disorder).
Abuse of these medications can cause serious health effects, including addiction, overdose and even death. Many people are not aware of these potential risks.
The risk of harm, overdose, and death rises when these medications are:
• taken at higher doses,
• taken in a different way or for different reasons than prescribed, or
• used with alcohol or other substances (prescription, over-the-counter or illegal drugs).
Governed by the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, prescription drugs are only legal when prescribed by a doctor. It is illegal to possess prescription drugs without a valid prescription or to get multiple prescriptions filled by different pharmacies (ex: lying about your identity, using a fake prescription, or getting multiple prescriptions by various doctors).
Any other drug-related activities (for example: selling or giving out Oxycodone) are considered criminal offences.
Don’t be an accidental drug dealer!
• Keep medication in a secure place, such as a locked box or cabinet.
• Keep track of your prescription drugs by counting the pills in each package.
• Avoid sharing your medication with family or friends, even if they have been prescribed the same drug before.
• Return any unused or expired medications to your pharmacy or to a take-back program.
• Keep track of your refills at the pharmacy. Make sure there are none that you did not fill yourself.
Any person with information regarding the illegal possession of prescription drugs should immediately contact the Ontario Provincial Police at 1-888-310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
