TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Painkiller tops drug deaths

ADVERTISEMENT

By STEPHEN THOMPSON spthompson@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2009

The painkiller oxycodone is a major killer in Florida - especially in Pasco and Pinellas counties.

The prescription drug caused more deaths in the state last year than any other drug.

Of the 941 deaths statewide brought about by the substance, 209 were in Pasco and Pinellas, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission report released Tuesday. In comparison, 101 deaths were in Hillsborough County.

Bill Pellan, investigations director for the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner's Office, attributed the high number, in part, to the office's efforts to detect drugs during autopsies. Among other things, the office has an in-house toxicology department and police also have been trained to look for pill bottles at death scenes.

Following oxycodone, the drugs that caused the most deaths were, in order, benzodiazepines, methadone, cocaine, ethyl alcohol, morphine and hydrocodone, the report states.

The report also notes that there were 236 more deaths statewide caused by oxycodone in 2008 than in 2007.

Deaths caused by heroin also increased, by 28 percent, compared with 2007, the report states. But deaths caused by methadone decreased, by nearly 12 percent. Deaths caused by cocaine also decreased, by 23 percent.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT