Diverted Pharmaceuticals

National Drug Intelligence Center
Maine Drug Threat Assessment Update
April 2002

Diverted pharmaceuticals, primarily oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydromorphone hydrochloride (Dilaudid), have become the greatest drug threat to Maine, overtaking cocaine and heroin over the past year. Pharmaceutical abuse is high, and the number of treatment admissions continues to increase. According to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA), the abuse of diverted pharmaceuticals, particularly OxyContin, increased in 2001. The Maine Office of Substance Abuse reports that the number of treatment admissions for other opiates, semisynthetic opiates, and synthetic opiates--excluding heroin--increased from 73 in 1995 to 762 in the first 11 months of 2001. (See Table 1.) This increase--attributed primarily to the abuse of OxyContin, Dilaudid, and other opiate-based prescription drugs--outpaced the percentage increases for all other drug types.

Table 1. Drug-Related Treatment Admissions, Maine, 1995-2001*

Year	Other Opiates	Heroin	Cocaine, Crack	Marijuana	Methamphetamine
1995	73	205	225	856	24
1996	87	247	248	996	17
1997	112	267	238	1,092	24
1998	199	288	229	1,200	28
1999	357	297	230	1,263	22
2000	652	459	373	1,368	25
2001*	762	509	240	1,301	20

*Does not include December 2001.
Source: Maine Office of Substance Abuse.

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Law enforcement reporting, seizures, and arrest statistics indicate that diverted pharmaceuticals are readily available in urban and rural areas of the state. According to MDEA data, state and local task force officials seized 13,978 dosage units of diverted pharmaceuticals in fiscal year (FY) 2001, an increase from the 4,563 dosage units seized in FY2000. In FY2001 the number of diverted pharmaceutical-related arrests was higher than the number of arrests for any other drug type except marijuana, increasing from 47 in FY1998 to 146 in FY2001. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), OxyContin currently sells for approximately $1 per milligram of active ingredient ($80 for an 80-milligram tablet). In Washington County, OxyContin prices are approximately 60 percent to 70 percent higher than in other parts of the state because of concerted law enforcement efforts and increased security at the Calais Port of Entry following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Caucasian criminal groups, local independent dealers, and abusers are the principal distributors of diverted pharmaceuticals in Maine. These groups, dealers, and abusers obtain pharmaceuticals, particularly OxyContin and Dilaudid, by obtaining prescriptions from some unscrupulous medical professionals, forging prescriptions, stealing from pharmacies, and by doctor shopping--visiting numerous doctors to obtain multiple prescriptions. According to MDEA, some criminal groups that have traditionally distributed cocaine and heroin now distribute pharmaceuticals. Distribution of diverted pharmaceuticals typically occurs in private residences or in bars and other public places.

Countering the Diverted Pharmaceutical Threat

On June 15, 2001, the Governor of Maine signed Public Law 419, which added diverted pharmaceuticals and synthetic drugs such as MDMA to the state's list of scheduled drugs. The law specifically mentions OxyContin and Dilaudid and provides aggregate milligram amounts for these drugs to trigger criminal charges. The law also increases penalties for stealing prescription drugs and requires all physicians in Maine to use tamper-proof prescription forms.

In January 2002 the Substance Abuse Services Commission in conjunction with the Maine Office of Substance Abuse recommended increases in treatment access, public drug education, and law enforcement funding. The development of a statewide electronic prescription monitoring program intended to reduce the diversion and abuse of pharmaceuticals was also recommended.

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