Report: Drug dealers tap Ohio seniors for painkillers

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Drug dealers around Ohio are developing new sources for prescription painkillers by buying them from senior citizens, sometimes as the patients leave pharmacies, according to a new state report that shows Ohio’s prescription painkiller epidemic is continuing and in some cases may be getting worse.

The report being released this week by the Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network also blames an increase in heroin use on addicts switching from prescription painkillers, which are more expensive and harder to obtain.

“Once people get to a certain point in their addiction and they can no longer afford to purchase prescription opiates, they almost invariably move to heroin,” said Orman Hall, director of the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services. “The vast majority of people who are using heroin were previously addicted to opiates.”

The monitoring network typically releases its findings about every six months relying on data provided by everyone from substance abuse counselors to addicts in recovery.

The network cites reports from Dayton, Youngstown and Toledo of drug dealers buying painkillers from seniors who often need the money to make ends meet.

“Reportedly, dealers stand outside of drugstores and approach seniors about selling their prescriptions, or dealers will convince a senior to go to the doctor and fake pain to get a prescription,” according to a description of activity in the Toledo area.

“If the senior agrees, the dealer will drive the senior to the doctor and to the pharmacy to fill the prescription and will then pay them,” the report said.

“That’s the only way they can make ends meet,” the report said, referring to activity in the Youngstown area.