A Look At Pill Mills

How Many Deaths Are Caused By Prescription Drugs?

Accidental deaths from prescription drugs sky-rocketed between 1999-2004, according to the latest study by the CDC.

Accidental deaths from prescription drugs rose 72 percent (71.9) from 12,186 nationwide in 1999 to 20, 950 in 2004. States with the largest increase of deaths include West Virginia (550 percent), Oklahoma (226 percent), Maine (210 percent), Montana (195 percent) and Arkansas (195 percent).

Other states where the death rates doubled were Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Plus the District of Columbia.

What Is A Pill Mill?

A "pill mil" is where licensed doctors sold prescriptions under the table to almost anybody with cash.

What Are Signs You Are In A Pill Mill?

It accepts cash only

The don't require a physical exam

No medical records or X-rays are needed

You ask for the medications

You're directed to "their" pharmacy

They treat pain with pills only

They give you a set number of pills and tell you specific date to come back for more

They have security guards

They have a line of people in the waiting room

What Role Does The Internet Play?

Operations that are illegal are moving into the shadows of cyberspace, according to the xxx. As a result, they're not as easy to detect and it's taking a lot more of our resources to go after these operations.

To Learn More:

• Click here for information from the Drug Enforcement Agency.