1. Addressing the Substance Abuse Epidemic in Tennessee
John J. Dreyzehner Commissioner

2. A Rising Tide
Near Tripling in Opioid-related Deaths (in parallel with opioid sales and Rx opioid treatment admits)
2011 OD Deaths (U.S.):
41,340 Any Drug
22,810 Rx drug
16,917 Rx opioid
4,397 Heroin
Sources: National Vital Statistics System, DEA Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System, SAMHSA TEDS

3. The Numbers in Tennessee
Data source: Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics, Death Statistical System. Overdose deaths were defined as having underlying cause of death ICD-10 codes X40-X44 (accidental), X60-X64 (intentional suicide), X85 (intentional homicide), and Y10-Y14 (undetermined).

4. The Numbers in Tennessee
Data source: Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Health Statistics, Death Statistical System.
Overdose deaths were defined as having underlying cause of death ICD-10 codes X40-X44, X60-X64, X85, and Y10-Y14.

5. Deaths by Age Group, TN
Graph showing that the numbers of opioid related overdose decedents for each 10 year age category.
CLICK.
Interestingly, the 40 – 49 year old age group had the largest number of opioid related overdose deaths in Tennessee.

6. Opioid Prescription Rates by County TN, 2007-2011
2008
2009
2010
2011
Data source: Tennessee Department of Health; Controlled Substance Monitoring Database.

7. Why Do People Abuse Prescription Drugs?
These prescription drugs,
like other drugs of abuse
(cocaine, heroin, marijuana)
raise brain dopamine levels
100
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700
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900
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1100 1 2 3 4
5 hr
Time After Amphetamine
% of Basal Release
AMPHETAMINE
Dopamine
Neurotransmission 50
100
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200 60
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Time (min)
% of Basal Release
Empty
Box
Feeding
Di Chiara et al.
FOOD

8. “Ask your doctor if taking a pill to solve all your problems is right for you.”

9. How We got Here A PAIN-DRUG CHAMPION HAS SECOND THOUGHTS
“Dr. Portenoy and other pain doctors who promoted the drugs say they erred by overstating the drugs’ benefits and glossing over risks.”
“…urged tackling what they called an epidemic of untreated pain…[and]…campaigned to make pain…’the fifth vital sign’ that doctors should monitor, alongside blood pressure, temperature, heartbeat and breathing.”
A PAIN-DRUG CHAMPION
HAS SECOND THOUGHTS
“In 1998, the Federation of State Medical Boards released a recommendation policy reassuring doctors they wouldn’t face regulatory action for prescribing even large amounts of narcotics…In 2004, the group called on state medical boards to make undertreatment of pain punishable for the first time…That policy was drawn up with the help of several people with links to opioid makers…the federation said it received nearly $2 million from opioid makers since 1997.”
“In 2001, the Joint Commission, which accredits U.S. hospitals, issued new standards telling hospitals to regularly ask patients about pain and to make treating it a priority…The Joint Commission published a guide sponsored by Purdue Pharma. ‘Some clinicians have inaccurate and exaggerated concerns’ about addiction, tolerance and risk of death, the guide said. ‘This attitude prevails despite the fact there is no evidence that addiction is a significant issue when persons are given opioids for pain control.’”

10. TN’s Prescription Drug Problem
TN: Tied for 1st in country for kilograms of prescription painkillers sold per 100 people
Prescription Painkillers Sold By State, 2012
Data source: CDC, Vital Signs: Opioid Painkiller Prescribing. July Available at:

11. Source of Opiates for Non-Medical Use
Illicit drug use is unfortunately common in pregnancy
In 2010, a national survey found that 16.2% of pregnant teens and 7.4% of pregnant women 18 to 25 years old admitted to illicit drug use sometime during their pregnancy.
In addition, while there are no national estimates of opiate pain reliever use in pregnancy, there is an increasing trend of opiate pain reliever use in the general population
Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. SAMHSA

12. Transmission in the substance abuse epidemic- How did we get here?
Misuse
Abuse-Pregnancy
NAS
Overdose
Resistant (Religious)
Resistant (Recovery)
Resistant (Bad Relationship)

13. Supply and Demand: The Substance Abuse/Misuse Market
Buyers
Sellers
Potential
Buyers

14. Substance Abuse/Misuse: Constraining the Market
Control
Treatment
PDMP Addresses All Three
Prevention

15. Prescription Safety & Population Protection
Steady reduction in the number of high-use patients since third quarter of 2012.
Survey of 800 CSMD users found:
71 percent had changed a treatment plan after viewing the patient’s information on the CSMD
73 percent said they are now more likely to discuss substance abuse issues with a patient
57 percent said they are now more likely to
refer a patient for substance abuse treatment
Cumulative milligram morphine equivalent dispensed shows decline in year-to-year comparison since CSMD became mandatory:
0.7 percent in 2013
6.7 percent thus far in 2014

16. A New Tool To Combat Overdose Deaths: Naloxone
Effective July 1, 2014
Licensed practitioner in Tennessee can prescribe

17. The Prescription for Success Plan
Plan for the Future:
Decrease the number of Tennesseans that abuse controlled substances.
Decrease the number of Tennesseans who overdose on controlled substances.
Decrease the amount of controlled substances dispensed in Tennessee.
Increase access to drug disposal outlets.
Increase access and quality of early intervention, treatment and recovery services.
Expand collaborations among state agencies.
Expand collaboration with other states.

18. REMEMBER
Doctor shopping is associated with a 5-fold higher risk of death. An MME of 100 or more is associated with an 11-fold higher risk of death.
Source: “High-Risk Use by Patients Prescribed Opioids for Pain and Its Role in Overdose Deaths” by Baumbatt, et al, JAMA Internal Medicine, May 2014
Image credit: Naypong, FreeDigitalPhotos.net

19. Thank you for your partnership
Thank you for your partnership. There’s a lot more for us to do together.