As they wrap up a major six-month investigation, the Kamsack and Yorkton RCMP are issuing a warning about the widespread problem of prescription drug abuse in the area.
Sixteen arrests were made on January 6 and 7 in relation to a drug ring that trafficked prescription narcotics around Kamsack, Yorkton, Springside, Canora, Pelly, and surrounding areas. About 25 arrests are expected before police are finished.
It's a reminder that prescription medications, not heroin, cocaine, or crystal meth, make up most of the cases of drug abuse noted by police in the region. Legal medications such as morphine, OxyContin, Ritalin, and Dilaudid are among those commonly misused.
"This is probably one of the bigger trends, and it's a bigger problem because of the intravenous drug use," says Sgt. James Morton, NCO I/C of the Yorkton District General Investigative Section. "They're using needles, the needles are being discarded, other people are sharing needles. So health-wise, this is a way bigger problem than your usual drugs."
Firm statistics on the scope of the issue are hard to come by, but Morton thinks the problem is growing. In addition to instances of drug trafficking and overdose, Yorkton police believe they have seen a rise in drug-related suicides and violent crimes in the last year and a half.
Attacking the prescription drug problem is especially challenging for police because the drugs have a legitimate source.
"What happens is people are diverting these drugs--they're going in and faking injuries, or using somebody else's health card, and getting prescriptions for morphine-based drugs and reselling them."
A pill that costs pennies at the pharmacy can sell for $20 to $100 on the street.
In a few cases, the doctors and pharmacists themselves are willing participants in the deal. For instance, a Winnipeg doctor was stripped of his license last spring when he was found to be prescribing large quantities of narcotics to patients for his own use and for the use of third parties.Such brazen misconduct is rare, but Sgt. Morton says that doctors could be doing more to prevent misuse of prescriptions.
"They need to be a little more diligent checking their blood screens and checking arms for needle track marks and those kinds of things before prescribing some of these things."
Morton also believes most health professionals decline to report suspicious patients to police due to privacy obligations.
"Common sense would say, 'Listen, if I've got a problem with this guy diverting drugs, I should be reporting this,' even though he is your patient."
The RCMP are now working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons at addressing the prescription drug issue. The family doctors of those arrested in recent busts, for example, will receive letters from the police explaining the situation.
Sharing information will be the key to fighting the problem, Morton says.
"It's frustrating, and unless we have everybody, including the health districts, the departments of health, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons working together, this is a very difficult area to target."
