by Lindsey Ziliak
Pharos-Tribune
LOGANSPORT —
Some attempt to use the police as their prescription pad. Others “shop” around for multiple doctors. A few resort to theft. Whatever the means may be, the end results are the same — the abuse and misuse of prescription drugs.
Detective Sgt. Jim Klepinger of the Logansport Drug Task Force said the abuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem nationwide, but most people, he said, don’t realize how big a problem it is in the Logansport area.
“We could devote all of our time (in the drug task force) to dealing with prescription drugs. It is that much of a problem,” Klepinger said.
The problem, he added, is driven by the fact that the drugs are so easy to obtain and have a high market value.
“You can go to the pharmacy and get 100 pills for $5, and then turn around and sell them for $5 a pill,” Klepinger said.
And many people, he added, don’t perceive this as a problem. They think that because the drugs themselves are not illegal, it’s acceptable to distribute them or buy them.
That’s where the problem starts, he said.
“The number one problem is the sale of drugs by people who have prescriptions to people who don’t have prescriptions,” Klepinger said.
Other problems stem from this one, he added.
Detective Ray Bean with the Logansport Police Department said he had noticed an increase in the number of people filing false reports for stolen medication.
“These people need to have a report from a law enforcement agency saying their medication has been lost or stolen to get the prescription filled by a doctor,” Bean said.
Bean counted at least 20 reports of stolen medication in 2009, but said he feels like there’s been a lot more.
Two or three times in the past several years Bean has had to make personal visits to people who had filed numerous reports of stolen medication.
“I had to talk with them and tell them that enough is enough. If you’re that big of a victim that you get victimized twice or more, then you need to change something,” he said.
He added that most of the time people report that their medication has been stolen from their car because they left their cars unlocked.
Bean said people need to start locking their cars or stop keeping medication in there.
“Fool me once, shame on you,” Bean said. “Fool me twice, shame on me for letting it happen. I’m not going to be your avenue for getting pills.”
Those who can’t get their medication by filing reports with the police sometimes resort to stealing. Klepinger said several months ago someone broke into Dexter’s Pharmacy and stole thousands of pills. The investigation for that case is ongoing.
Doctors, pharmacists and police officers do have tools at their disposal that can help prevent prescription abuse. One of these tools is the INSPECT database.
Chris Farnham, a pharmacist at Dexter’s pharmacy, said she is required to report all the scheduled drugs she has filled on a weekly basis. The information goes into the INSPECT database, so doctors and police officers or even the pharmacists themselves can track how many prescriptions a person has been filling.
“I use (the database) on a monthly basis,” said Bob Burgess, a detective with the Indiana State Police.
He said it can be used to prevent people from doctor shopping. He said some people will go to numerous doctors in various counties, cities or sometimes states to find doctors who will fill their prescriptions.
“It’s a legitimate prescription, but not when it’s being filled multiple times in different places,” he said.
Despite the progress the police have made in curtailing prescription drug abuse, the problem still remains.
Klepinger said during the police department’s most recent drug raid in Logansport more people were caught selling prescription drugs.
“The problem is overwhelming,” he said.
Lindsey Ziliak is a staff writer at the Pharos-Tribune. She can be reached at 574-732-5148 or lindsey.ziliak@pharostribune.com.
