Interview: Dr. Mark Wilson on Alabama’s Painkiller Prescription Problem

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/07/rx-bottles.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:650;s:6:"height";i:428;s:4:"file";s:22:"2014/07/rx-bottles.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-336x221.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:221;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"rx-bottles-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-600x428.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:428;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-472x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:472;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-402x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:402;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-600x428.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:428;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:22:"rx-bottles-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:175988;s:14:"optimized_size";i:112344;s:7:"percent";d:36.159999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:50:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:41351;s:14:"optimized_size";i:21021;s:7:"percent";d:49.159999999999997;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6552;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5001;s:7:"percent";d:23.670000000000002;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-336x221.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:16643;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11355;s:7:"percent";d:31.77;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:36399;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23415;s:7:"percent";d:35.670000000000002;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:20341;s:14:"optimized_size";i:13981;s:7:"percent";d:31.27;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-472x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:27302;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18479;s:7:"percent";d:32.32;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-402x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:21808;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14814;s:7:"percent";d:32.07;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:58:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/07/rx-bottles-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5592;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4278;s:7:"percent";d:23.5;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1665088823 
1405382400

The number of deaths caused by drug overdoses has steadily increased over the past 20 years. And it’s not just illegal drugs like cocaine or heroin.

The abuse of prescription painkillers is a huge — and growing — problem. Painkiller overdoses are now the leading cause of injury death in America.

But this risk isn’t spread out evenly across the country. A report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention released earlier this month shows that the risk of prescription overdoes varies dramatically depending on where someone lives.

This CDC study was looking for patterns in prescriptions for painkillers like Percocet and Vicodin. They discovered that nationally, there are about 82.5 opioid painkiller prescriptions written for every 100 people in the U.S. But in southern states, the number was much higher, with Alabama leading the country in painkiller prescriptions. In 2012, there were 143 painkiller prescriptions for every 100 people in Alabama.

WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley spoke with Dr. Mark Wilson, Health Officer at the Jefferson County Department of Health, about why there are so many more painkiller prescriptions in the South and what Alabama is doing to address the problem.

This map shows the variation of prescription painkiller rates across the U.S. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Map by Alyson Hurt/NPR.

 

ICC finds former Sudan militia leader guilty of war crimes in Darfur

The International Criminal Court in The Hague handed down its first-ever Darfur war crimes conviction, finding Janjaweed leader Ali Kushayb, guilty of atrocities committed more than two decades ago.

A major census test begins recruiting workers as some warn about delays

The Census Bureau is looking for temporary workers to carry out next year's major field test of the 2030 census in six states, as the national head count's advocates raise concerns about preparations.

How one country has become a top destination for hair transplants

With more than 1 million people going to Turkey for the procedure every year, hair transplants are transforming men's scalps — and vanity. But not every story ends with a perfect hairline.

A bold doctor sent her kids away and helped beat one of the world’s deadliest viruses

A year ago, Rwanda faced its first outbreak of Marburg virus. Dr. Tsion Firew remembers how scared she was — and how that didn't stop her from playing a key role in the remarkably effective response.

French Prime Minister resigns after less than a month in office

Facing criticism from all sides, France's new prime minister Sébastien Lecornu resigned less than 24 hours after naming his government and after less than a month in office, plunging the country into a deep political crisis.

New billboard draws attention to Anthony Boyd, Alabama’s next nitrogen gas execution

Supporters of Boyd, the chairman of an in-prison anti-death penalty group, put the billboard message up in hopes of garnering more public awareness.

More News Coverage