LEXINGTON -- Kentucky's methamphetamine problem will continue to grow unless the battle is intensified at the local level, state and federal officials said Wednesday. "All of the federal resources we receive are a huge help in our continuing fight against methamphetamine," said Steve Pence, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. "But we also have to have state law enforcement and local sheriff's offices and police departments and even the residents in high-intensity communities participate at increasing levels if we really want to get a handle on this." [continues 708 words]
Troops Help With Surveillance Ever since methamphetamine began to exhibit signs of an epidemic in western Kentucky in the late 1990s, the Daviess County Sheriff's Department has taken an aggressive stance against the proliferation. A prime tool in the county's fight against meth during the past three years has been cooperation with specially trained Kentucky National Guardsmen, according to Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain. The full-time guardsmen are part of the Joint Support Operations unit, which commonly assists law enforcement authorities in wiping out marijuana patches in eastern Kentucky. [continues 578 words]
FRANKFORT -- The Kentucky Democratic Party's new chairman, Jerry Johnson, was fined and put on probation 20 years ago after being convicted of cocaine possession. Gov. Paul Patton named Johnson to the post last week. Johnson had worked in the governor's office since 1995. A spokesman for Patton's office said Monday that the governor was aware of the conviction before he brought Johnson into the governor's office staff at the outset of his administration. "Jerry has been forthcoming about this from the beginning. We reviewed the record of this case and discussed it with him before he was hired in 1995," said Denis Fleming, general counsel for Patton. "Though this was a serious conviction, the governor believes strongly in giving a person a second chance. Jerry had paid his debt to society, and the governor was convinced he could make a contribution to his administration." [continues 367 words]
Daviess Owed $460,000 On Inmates A combination of state budget problems and an unusually high inmate population is being blamed for a major financial shortfall affecting more than half of the jails in Kentucky. The Department of Corrections recorded a shortfall in the account which compensates the 69 Kentucky jails that incarcerate "state" inmates, said Lisa Carnahan, the department's communication director. A state inmate is a prisoner convicted and sentenced for a felony crime. The state pays county jails $27.51 each day to house those inmates. [continues 546 words]
Usually, Terry Gabbert isn't hounded by wide-eyed autograph seekers, but the Owensboro Police Department sergeant found himself signing at least 100 autographs Thursday at the "Just Say No" rally. The event attracted about 2,000 fourth- and fifth-graders from Owensboro, Daviess County and Owensboro Catholic schools who participated in a parade, then gathered at the Sportscenter to watch the drug-free motivational band "Street Heat" from Louisville. The students wore T-shirts made especially for the event and were encouraged to have them signed by friends and others in attendance in order to commemorate the day. [continues 324 words]
Drug deals. Break-ins. Prostitution. These crimes may occur in any neighborhood at any time. But Owensboro's neighborhood advisory boards are finding a new ally in ridding their communities of these unwanted activities: the Street Crimes Unit of the Owensboro Police Department. "We can tell a difference," said Myrna Dillow, secretary of the Southeast Alliance, the city's newest neighborhood advisory board. "Our neighborhood is quieter since we've been working with them." Sgt. David Thompson and the five other men -- Scott Norris, Brock Peterson, Mark Powers, Anthony Meadows and Jeff Burnett -- who make up the special OPD unit have been spreading the word to the neighborhood groups that their success depends in large part upon communication with residents. [continues 583 words]
Since its inception in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program has become the signature project in teaching kids about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The program -- taught in more than 80 percent of the country's school districts -- not only serves as a prevention tool, but it also helps boost self-esteem and shows children that law enforcement officers are friendly and approachable. Locally, dedicated officers at the Owensboro police and Daviess County sheriff's departments put their hearts into seeing that kids don't stray from the right path. Their commitment and dedication are unquestionable and should be commended. [continues 385 words]
Regarding the recent headline "Teens have few drug rehab options; Even for adults, services in Owensboro are limited." And why do they have few options? Teens will be our leaders -- mayor, commissioners and possibly president. It seems that the city and county leaders can only see the riverfront, the RiverPark Center and the all important Greenbelt Park. These are luxuries that are used by a few of the population. Children should come first. According to our local paper, we are way up there in meth, Ecstasy, and other drugs. Of course, it's not just the children, it is a large part our local population and rehab, and education is important to everyone. [continues 157 words]
No significant changes have occurred in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education efforts of city and county law enforcement officers despite a report last year in which the national program acknowledged the need to change some procedures. School officials and police remain dedicated to the program and are confident of its effectiveness in thwarting children from experimenting with illegal substances while also allowing children to get to know officers as friendly and approachable people. A change is expected in the curriculum in the fall of 2003, said Daviess County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Wedding, one of the department's two D.A.R.E. officers. [continues 586 words]
The war on drugs has brought with it unintended casualties -- the most glaring being more lives are ruined than are changed. The effort to take a hard stance against drugs was -- and still is -- well intended, but the movement placed a premium on incarceration while virtually ignoring treatment. Almost every person arrested on drug charges eventually gets out of jail, and based on the high recidivism rates for drug offenders, many return to their past actions. When treatment is an option, the drug problem is addressed at its root. When incarceration is the only alternative, the inevitable is merely delayed. [continues 398 words]
A common complaint of crime fighting -- from arrest to prosecution -- is that the process is reactive rather than proactive. The reactive nature of the business is understandable considering the volume of cases and the demands placed on often-understaffed police departments and prosecutor's offices. But simply arresting and prosecuting criminals only continues a cycle. It's the proactive approaches to law enforcement that truly make a difference -- attacking the root of a community's problems, not just the offshoot. Though oftentimes overlooked, this proactive approach is one that local law enforcement continues to use with success. [continues 378 words]
Candidate Profiles: Muhlenberg Co. Sheriff The two men seeking the Democratic nod for Muhlenberg County sheriff agree that getting rid of drugs is the top priority for the office. Jerry Mayhugh of Central City, who has been sheriff since 1993, and Jeffery Keeton of Greenville, a former deputy sheriff, say they want to tackle the county's problem with drugs, particularly methamphetamine. Mayhugh is seeking his third term. "This time, I don't mind telling you I'm running on my record," he said. Mayhugh said his office has stepped up such efforts and has increased meth- and marijuana-eradication training for deputies. [continues 330 words]
Daviess County families struggling to get an adolescent child off a drug or alcohol problem must seek help from outside the region, according to area chemical dependency professionals. The closest detoxification or rehabilitation services for anyone under the age of 18 are in Evansville, Louisville and Nashville. Adults have inpatient and outpatient options at two locations in Owensboro: RiverValley Behavioral Health at 1100 Walnut St., or Owensboro Mercy Health System. The two locations offer a total of 18 inpatient beds and a variety of outpatient services such as day treatment and group counseling. The total client population that participate in the outpatient services fluctuates, but was about 20 people this week, representatives of the two facilities said. [continues 645 words]
OWENSBORO, Ky. -- Four boxes of cold medicine and a suspicious store clerk put Suzett Calloway back behind bars. Wanted for murder after her son died as a result of a meth lab explosion, Calloway had fled Georgia. She eluded police for several days, until she walked up to a check-out counter at a Wal-Mart in western Kentucky with four boxes of Sudafed. The sales clerk, on the lookout for customers buying ingredients that could be used to make meth, urged a Wal-Mart security guard to follow Calloway. After a stop for more Sudafed at a second retailer, Calloway was arrested. [continues 830 words]
SOMERSET -- Sam Catron was 4 years old when three thugs armed with a shotgun pulled up in front of his family's home and shot his father, the city's police chief. His father survived for seven years until one of the shotgun pellets that had lodged near his heart shifted, killing him. The experience drove the young Catron into law enforcement himself and shaped his cautious approach to life, which included wearing a bulletproof vest wherever he went. "I asked him once why he never got married," says friend Charlotte Davis. "He would never get married as long as he was in law enforcement. He said he never wanted a woman to go through what his mother had gone through." [continues 649 words]
No matter where you live, what high school you go to, or who you hang out with, you hear about it in the halls, you see it, or you even know someone affected by it. There's no escaping it. As my classmates get older, "partying" seems to become more and more popular. Kids you wouldn't even imagine are smoking pot and getting drunk every weekend in the basement with their unsuspecting parents right upstairs. These kids are making good grades, are involved in extracurricular activities, and therefore, their parents have no reason to suspect anything. [continues 711 words]
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kent Wicker sounded a warning last summer when he said that the battle against methamphetamine was making progress in the areas of enforcement and education but was a failure in terms of treatment. Options are limited, Wicker said, and available treatment opportunities have not been terribly successful. His comments weren't meant to be a knock on the local treatment community, but rather an admission that treatment is the one area that often gets overlooked as a community struggles to get a hold on its drug problem. [continues 374 words]
An estimated 75 to 80 percent of all the cases that Judge Henry Griffin sees in circuit court are connected to drug and alcohol abuse. And many offenders could benefit from a long-term residential treatment program. But Owensboro lacks adequate treatment facilities for adults and adolescents addicted to drugs and alcohol, officials say. So last week, several met to try to correct that problem. "It needs to be lifted up and given some priority, because it is probably the most serious social problem in this area at this time," Griffin said. "It is growing and not getting better." [continues 614 words]
For six months Robby Evans visited temporary employment agencies in Owensboro hoping to be hired for a job. Each time he would complete a job application but was never approached with an offer because, he believes, of his participation with Daviess County Drug Court. The name of the program conjures negative images that frighten many employers from taking the risk of hiring the applicant. But drug court represents a strictly monitored group who are more reliable than many other applicants, said Daviess Circuit Judge Tom Castlen, who oversees the program. [continues 868 words]
EVANSVILLE -- With tears in her eyes, Denise Quintanilla begged the judge to spare her a life sentence in prison. "You know, this is my life, and I pray that the Lord's guiding you, you know. I'm scared," the 33-year-old mother of three told U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. Married to an imprisoned drug lord, Quintanilla was convicted last fall of trafficking in methamphetamines, helping to funnel drugs worth $250,000 from Texas into southern Indiana. [continues 833 words]
The local prevention and legal communities have had nothing but high praise for the role the Daviess County drug court has played over the last two years in helping to combat the area drug problem. The program's effectiveness comes from its ability to address problems at the root -- through providing treatment and changing environments -- and not simply postponing the inevitable with incarceration. In hopes of building upon this success, a team of 10 people is working to institute a similar program for juveniles by early next year. Loosely based on the adult program, a juvenile drug court has the potential to provide immeasurable benefits to this community. [continues 396 words]
If the details of juvenile crime and drug use were public knowledge, many people would be shocked at the frequency of the problem and youths' access to an array of substances, says Carmen Fleming, Daviess County court designated worker. Tobacco, alcohol and marijuana are the top choices among many middle and high school students, but they also use other substances including prescription drugs such as Ritalin, Xanax, Lortab and Darvicet, Fleming said Wednesday. Fleming expects that situation to be helped early next year when Daviess County Juvenile Drug Court begins. [continues 627 words]
A report that local prevention specialists issued last week serves as a testament to the diligent efforts going on locally to fight substance abuse, as well as the tremendous amount of work left to be done. The report was compiled and sent to state officials as part of the ongoing effort to establish a Daviess County branch of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy. Ky-ASAP is offering up to $50,000 to fund local prevention and treatment efforts in helping to prioritize needs and reduce duplication of services. [continues 430 words]
FRANKFORT -- Legislation that would criminalize possession and sale of large quantities of the ingredients used to manufacture methamphetamine unanimously passed the House of Representatives Tuesday. "Law enforcement officials are saying they are running into people with huge amounts of these precursors, and they only reason they could possibly have these large quantities is to use them to manufacture methamphetamine," said Rep. Brian Crall, the bill's primary sponsor. "Presently this is not a crime." HB 644 would make it a Class D felony - punishable by one to five years in prison - for individuals possessing more than 24 grams of pseudoephedrine on first offense. [continues 59 words]
The group that has been gathering information on local drug and alcohol use, prevention and treatment will be sending a community assessment to the state later this week in hopes of securing money for services. But the assessment won't give an accurate picture of some areas of the community. The RiverValley Prevention Center, the agency working to establish a local Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy, already has found some gaps in information that is available. Little information on adult drug and alcohol use is available, as well as use in some of the local school systems. [continues 565 words]
This letter is in response to the Feb. 17 article ("OPD street unit tackles city vice") that quoted Sgt. David Thompson lamenting the lack of treatment services in Owensboro for addiction. OMHS Addiction Services has been open since November 1997. We have eight inpatient beds for individuals who require detox, and provide day treatment, intensive outpatient, and individual outpatient services. Since our opening we have never had to turn any detox patients away due to lack of space. We have had up to 22 patients at once in the day treatment program. During our last state survey it was noted that we had the largest aftercare in Kentucky. Although some have reservations regarding the day treatment model and believe that an out-of-town residential program is best, both the literature and our experience tell us that day treatment is effective because patients can use treatment recommendations in real life settings with their family, friends, and employers. Patients and their families experience less disruption in their lives. Many can continue to work while attending treatment. We have very strong support in the local 12-step community and rely on our volunteers to demonstrate the serenity that comes from living by 12-step principles. [continues 84 words]
The Feb. 21 article discussing the acceptance of marijuana use in the Netherlands should open our minds to the hypocrisy of our laws. For the most part, people view drugs, including marijuana, as a bane of the community and use the law to fight it as vehemently as one would fight rape or murder. Meanwhile, complacency for cigarette smoking is the norm. What are the evils of marijuana use? According to the surgeon general, some are impaired immune response, possible adverse effects on the heart and interference with prenatal development. [continues 200 words]
Light up a marijuana "joint" in an Owensboro coffee shop and you're likely to get arrested. Do the same thing in the Netherlands and you're just part of the crowd, said visiting city officials from Veenendaal, a city of Owensboro's size in the Netherlands. But while the sale of marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, their city has less drug-related crime than Owensboro, said Veenendaal Mayor Jaap Spros. About 85 percent of Kentucky's crime is drug-related, compare to less than 50 percent in the Netherlands, Spros said. [continues 522 words]
A fine line exists between the loss of personal freedoms and the sacrifice of individual convenience for the sake of society as a whole. Where that distinction is placed, and consequently, when it is crossed, is likely different for each individual. Americans have shown lately that they are, for the most part, willing to make certain sacrifices if it benefits the country's security. On a local level, a bill proposed last Tuesday in Frankfort asks Kentuckians to make a similar effort -- one that won't impose harsh restrictions, but does ask sacrifice of those who live by the law in hopes of ridding the streets of those who don't. [continues 455 words]
Twenty-three Owensboro Police Department officers didn't have hugs and kisses on their minds when they struck out at 7 a.m. Thursday for "Operation Valentine." Instead, the officers had arrest warrants for 34 people charged with first-degree felony drug crimes, the culmination of a six-month operation that saw undercover drug buys all over town. By early afternoon, 27 people had been arrested and jailed, and the remaining seven were being sought. All of the charges fell under the category of trafficking in a controlled substance and all involved either crack cocaine, methamphetamine or marijuana. [continues 599 words]
Regarding the Nov. 13 article "Prescription drug misuse, diversion a serious problem" by Dr. Janna Pathi: Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem, but why? Dr. Pathi tries to point the blame toward the patient, but is the patient at fault? That patient by the time he or she has reached 18 years of age has seen 20,000 hours of TV drug commercials telling him or her how great they are or how great they make you feel. Drug companies spend $14 million per day convincing Americans that they need the new "miracle" drug of the month. Patients are then told by their doctors that they "need" the drug and are quickly written a prescription. From birth until death the patient is told "don't worry about your diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, stress etc. We have a pill that will fix you." [continues 149 words]
FRANKFORT -- Rep. Brian Crall and Sen. Robert Stivers have introduced legislation that would make it illegal to possess more than 24 grams of pseudoephedrine and establish it as a Class D felony for a first offense. Pseudoephedrine, a drug contained in over-the-counter cold and sinus tablets, is one of the ingredients used in making methamphetamine. "This clarifies that possession of this drug in these quantities is a crime itself," said Jim Acquisto, a detective sergeant in the narcotics division of the Daviess County Sheriff's Department. [continues 559 words]
Son Of State Senator Among Those Indicted The son of a state senator and a Henderson attorney have been indicted in what police in western Kentucky are calling a breakup of a giant methamphetamine ring. Michael David Herron, a Henderson real estate agent and son of Sen. Paul Herron, was indicted on one count of intent to distribute methamphetamine and five counts of aiding and abetting the drug's distribution, police said. The 54-year-old Herron, attorney Edwin "Eddie" Jones and two area men, Tommy Singleton, 42, of Beaver Dam and Jewell Sorrell, 25, of Drakesboro, were arrested Wednesday night on the federal indictments. Police found some cocaine on Jones, 37, as he was arrested in front of his downtown office in Henderson, police said. [continues 329 words]
There has been quite a spirited debate recently, in the Reader's Write column of the Messenger-Inquirer, concerning the idea of having casinos here in Owensboro. Several people have written letters opposing the idea for the good of the community. They say it would serve the greater good if we banned casinos from Owensboro. OK, but why stop there? If we're going to start banning things for the greater good, why not ban alcohol from Owensboro, for the greater good, of course. We know some people cannot handle alcohol responsibly, so let's just ban it from everyone's enjoyment. That will take care of the problem. And tobacco. I keep hearing how my cigarettes harm others, so maybe we need to ban tobacco, too. [continues 130 words]
HEBRON, Ky. -- Drug-related arrests and seizures have dropped dramatically at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport since security was stepped up in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials say. "I think it's fair to say, given the increased security, we're seeing fewer drug couriers using the airports to carry drugs," said Gregory Van Tatenhove, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. David Fessler, an attorney who often represents alleged drug traffickers from the airport, said he has seen a big drop in the number of cases in the past few months. Steve Howe, another defense attorney, said ever since airport security required definitive identification of all passengers, drug smugglers have looked for other ways to transport their wares. [continues 365 words]
Owensboro police raided a Benttree Drive apartment shortly after midnight Wednesday and arrested a former police officer on drug and weapon charges. Officers arrested David Bernard Douglas, 50, of the 3900 block of Benttree Drive at 12:30 a.m. Thursday and charged him with trafficking in marijuana while armed and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, according to an Owensboro Police Department report. Douglas resigned from the city police department in 1987 after nine years as a patrol officer. [continues 94 words]
The Jan. 18 article "1968 Corvette seized with couple's guilty plea" is cause for serious reflection. Apparently the couple was guilty of possession, not manufacturing or trafficking illegal drugs. They had their drugs confiscated, yet, they will receive an $11,000 tax lien on drugs they no longer possess. They forfeited $3,800 and their Corvette. This is all on top of the jail time and any fines associated with their conviction. They forfeit their Second Amendment rights and their right to vote. [continues 162 words]
A 40-year veteran of Daviess County law enforcement is helping the wheels of justice spin more efficiently for inmates in limbo. At least 100 criminal cases, almost all of them felonies, were settled last year thanks in part to the guidance and communication from Charles "Boots" Norris, former Daviess County sheriff and jailer. About two days each week Norris works for the Daviess County Detention Center as a link between inmates at the jail, their public defenders and the prosecuting attorneys. [continues 785 words]
The expectations of the judicial system are pretty simple when it comes to dealing with those who break the law -- law enforcement are expected to arrest criminals, the commonwealth's attorney prosecutes them and a judge hands down a sentence if needed. If all each party did were meet these expectations, there would be little to complain about. But it's when officials go above and beyond the call of duty that communities flourish and quality of life is positively impacted. [continues 476 words]
GREENVILLE -- Circuit Judge David Jernigan greeted the first five participants in the new Muhlenberg Drug Court with kind, but firm, words Friday afternoon. "We're not your enemy," the judge told the woman and four men standing before him in the third-floor Circuit Courtroom of the Muhlenberg County Courthouse. "We want you to do well; we don't want you behind bars." But that is where they will go if they use alcohol and illegal drugs or disobey the terms of probation during the one to two years of the Drug Court program. [continues 555 words]
Prosecutors are likely to face a juggling act in the upcoming year as they prepare for an unprecedented fight against methamphetamine abuse while facing budget cuts within their own departments. Meanwhile, police are appealing to state legislators for tougher penalties and new laws regarding meth production and possession of the ingredients. Law enforcement agencies will be using growing federal funds to help foot the bill during costly meth lab cleanups. Since 1998, when the first meth lab was discovered in Daviess County, law enforcement has recorded more than 200 labs that have been dismantled, resulting in an increasing number of arrests and prosecutions. [continues 936 words]
The 72nd annual convention of the Kentucky Sheriffs' Association begins today at the Executive Inn Rivermont with training sessions and seminars emphasizing clandestine methamphetamine labs and the meth epidemic sweeping Kentucky. The convention is the first hosted by the Daviess County Sheriff's Department since the early 1980s. It last was held in Owensboro in 1994, when it was hosted by the jailer, Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain said. The convention is expected to attract sheriffs, deputies and other elected officials for training and the networking that occurs among agencies, Cain said. [continues 119 words]
Lock 'em up and throw away the key. It seems a simple solution -- a mind-set shared by many -- to dealing with criminals and making our communities more secure. But reality is that the overwhelming majority of people who go to jail will someday be set free. And how their years are spent behind bars is a pretty good indicator of the path their lives will follow when they get out. Simply, those who get help, who successfully complete rehabilitation programs, stand a chance of becoming productive members of society. Those who don't will likely end up back in the court system, continuing a cycle that only treatment can help break. [continues 423 words]
Sheriff's Department Unveils Latest D.A.R.E. Vehicle If there's something strange in your neighborhood, the Daviess County Sheriff's Department has just the car for you. A converted 1962 Cadillac ambulance has been transformed into the 10-foot-tall, 4-wheel-drive "Methbuster," the latest anti-drug message in the department's Drug Abuse Resistance Education fleet of crime-fighting vehicles. The monster car, donated by an Owensboro doctor, will be used at local schools, parades and other events to spread D.A.R.E.'s message, said Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain. [continues 524 words]
Law enforcement got somewhat of a boost last week when an appellate court ruled that a person has no right to posses chemicals or equipment -- otherwise legal products -- if the intent is to use them to make an illegal substance. But the process itself, not to mention the wording of the court's ruling, should concern legislators to the point that addressing the state's manufacturing methamphetamine statute should be a top priority when the General Assembly convenes in January. Questions arose when a Caldwell County circuit judge ruled a portion of the state's manufacturing methamphetamine law unconstitutional, because he considered it too vague. [continues 378 words]
Two out-of-state men charged in connection with a Beaver Dam drug operation have been sentenced to federal prison. Rogelio Aguiar, 25, of Zilah, Wash., and Alvino M. Rodriguez-Morales, 34, of Danville, Ill., were sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Owensboro for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and possession with the intent to distribute 75 kilograms of marijuana, respectively. Judge Joseph H. McKinley sentenced Aguiar to 46 months in prison, plus four years of supervised release following incarceration. Rodriquez-Morales was sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. [continues 249 words]
One way to break the cycle of repeated criminal behavior is by finding effective rehabilitative programs, but protecting the community should remain paramount. Ten people, including two circuit judges, came to that agreement during an informal meeting Tuesday at the Daviess County Public Library. "I think we had some agreement -- protect the community, but reduce recidivism," said Betsy Morton Thomas, director of the local branch of the Justice Resource Center. Thomas convened the meeting to learn what rehab programs are now being offered to state inmates housed in the Daviess County Detention Center and whether there are unmet needs. Another goal is to provide a forum for community involvement in justice issues. [continues 448 words]
FRANKFORT -- The latest efforts to study the viability of industrial hemp are off to another slow start, stymied by bureaucratic delays and running headlong into a federal prohibition. The Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission met Monday, well after the July 1, 2001 deadline set by the legislation passed earlier this year that created it. While the University of Kentucky has applied to conduct research on the agronomy of growing hemp, the Department of Agriculture has not even created the regulations needed to grant a license for the research. And even then the Drug Enforcement Administration must be asked for a permit to conduct the research, which it does not have to grant. [continues 364 words]
The current anthrax scare has, among other things, started a debate about medicines, their availability and safety. This is on top of the ongoing debate about prescription drug coverage. And it is time to bring another aspect of prescription drugs to the table. Misuse, abuse and diversion of prescription drugs is a serious health care problem of epidemic proportions. Consider these numbers: According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 9 million people 12 and older used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in 1999. The same agency reported that a recent national survey of primary care physicians and patients found that 46.6 percent of physicians find it difficult to discuss prescription drug abuse with their patients. The elderly represent 13 percent of the U.S. population but consume one-third of all prescription drugs. Roughly 3 percent were abusing the medications. [continues 579 words]
Prostitution isn't something many people would like to acknowledge exists in Owensboro. It's much easier to fix blinders on the way to ball practice, the grocery store or the mall and pretend that women and men don't sell their bodies to support a drug addiction that grips them so tightly they don't care about disease or prosecution. It's more convenient to sit down to a full course meal without thinking that there are parents in Owensboro who turn tricks to feed their children or pay their bills. [continues 1101 words]
