Abstract

Context: The dramatic rise in the use of prescription opioids to treat non-cancer pain has been paralleled by increasing prescription opioid abuse. However, detailed analyses of these trends and programs to address them are lacking. Objective: To study the association between state shipments of prescription opioids for medical use and prescription opioid abuse admissions and to assess the effects of state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) on prescription opioid abuse admissions. Design and Setting: A retrospective ecological cohort study comparing state prescription opioid shipments (source: Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders Systems database) and inpatient admissions for prescription opioid abuse (source: Treatment Episode Data Set) in 14 states with PDMPs (intervention group) and 36 states without PDMPs (control group) for the period 1997–2003. Results: From 1997 to 2003, oxycodone, morphine, and hydrocodone shipments increased by 479%, 100%, and 148% respectively. Increasing prescription oxycodone shipments were signifi cantly associated with increasing prescription opioid admission rates (p 0.001). PDMP states had signifi cantly lower oxycodone shipments than the control group. PDMP states had less increase in prescription opioid admissions per year (p = 0.063). A patient admitted to an inpatient drug abuse