The State of Opioid Prescription in Ohio

(Spring 2017) Following the general trend of reducing opioid prescriptions, the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy’s Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) indicated that the number of opioids dispensed in Ohio has fallen for the fourth straight year. From 2012 to 2016, the number of opioid doses prescribed fell by more than 20%, from a high of 793 million doses to 631 million doses. OARRS also revealed a 78% drop in “doctor shopping” during the four-year time span. Additionally, the report stated that use of the reporting system climbed to an unprecedented number of 24.1 million requests in 2016.

The increase in participation was likely spurred, to some degree, by warning letters distributed to 12,000 doctors, dentists and other health professionals last September regarding the website, insinuating that they had violated state law, although many of the infractions were slight.

However, as the availability of prescription opioids decreases, the demand for illegal drugs in the same class is on the rise. More than 3,000 Ohioans perished from overdoses in 2016 alone. Over 30% of these deaths were tied to fentanyl, a painkiller 50 times more potent than morphine. Heroin is also a major factor in Buckeye State overdose fatalities. Sadly, Ohio saw 2,106 opioid deaths in 2014, more than any other state. The statistics continue to be bleak, with Cuyahoga County experiencing over 500 drug overdose mortalities — opioids were responsible for most of these deaths.

As with many other issues, it appears there is a political aspect to Ohio’s opioid troubles. Drug manufacturers have developed a nationwide agenda that involves an army of lobbyists and millions of dollars dedicated to dampen efforts to reduce the flow of prescription opioids. For example, overdose deaths in Ohio spiked 81% between 2006 and 2014, while painkiller manufacturers and pain-management supporters contributed over $3 million to political parties and campaigns within the state.

An excess of $2 million was given to congressional candidates, but state politicians saw donations as well. Ohio’s John Kasich, elected governor in 2011, was the recipient of over $45,000 from 2009 to mid-2015. However, Governor Kasich allocated a large sum of state funding to upgrading OARRS in 2015 and recently approved a measure that places greater limitations on prescription opioids and provides easier access to addiction treatment. The new law, however, does not allocate additional money for these efforts.

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