Minnesota, Wisconsin Team Up To Curb Opioid Abuse

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel, and Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo have joined forces to combat the prescription opioid epidemic by giving a “Dose of Reality”—the name for their public awareness campaign—to prevent prescription painkiller abuse.

The Centers for Disease Control calls prescription drug abuse the fastest growing drug problem in the United States, with deaths from prescription painkillers now outpacing deaths from heroin.

“Misuse of these drugs can be dangerous and even deadly. Our aim is to raise awareness about how to safely use, store, and dispose of opioid prescription painkillers,” Swanson said in a statement. “Minnesota is pleased to join forces with General Schimel and our neighbors in Wisconsin to combat this epidemic, which knows no boundaries.”

The Minnesota and Wisconsin websites—DoseofReality.mn.gov and DoseofRealityWI.gov—provide information about the risks of opioid painkillers, how to stop them from falling into the wrong hands, and how to dispose of drugs that are no longer needed. The websites contain interactive maps of nearby drug-disposal locations, including local pharmacies and law enforcement agencies where people can drop off unwanted medication.

"Prescription drug abuse is an issue that stretches beyond state lines and I'm excited to partner with Attorney General Swanson on bringing a Dose of Reality to Minnesota," said Schimel. "I look forward to working together to make both of our states stronger and safer."

Officials also unveiled a 30-second public service announcement video designed to call attention to the website and the dangers of opioid painkiller abuse. Officials are asking television stations, movie theaters, and community forums to air the public service announcement.

“This scourge has hit Anoka County particularly hard, and it’s affecting so many families here. Getting information to the people who want it and, more importantly, who need it, is the best thing that we can do to serve the public.” said Anoka County Attorney Palumbo, whose cousin died last year from an opioid overdose.
These officials were joined by Republican Representative Dave Baker and DFL Senator Chris Eaton, two of the leading voices in the Minnesota Legislature for combatting the opioid epidemic.

Both Rep. Baker and Sen. Eaton lost children to drug overdoses.

Opioid Painkiller Statistics

Prescription painkillers can be beneficial for treating pain when properly prescribed by a licensed professional, used as prescribed, and stored and disposed of safely. They can be dangerous, however, when misused or taken without a proper prescription.

• The United States is 5 percent of the world’s population but consumes 80 percent of the world’s opioid painkillers.
• Sales of opioid painkillers have quadrupled since 1999 and so have the number of overdoses from prescription opioids.
• Every 25 minutes, a baby is born with opioid-withdrawal symptoms.
• Emergency rooms treat more than 1,000 people/day for opioid abuse symptoms.

Opioid Facts

Prescription opioid painkillers are controlled substances that are sold under brand names like OxyContin, Percocet, or Vicodin. They are susceptible to addiction and abuse because they trigger chemical processes in the brain that create intense feelings of pleasure. Some people become addicted to their own prescribed painkillers, while others misuse painkillers bought on the street or prescribed for someone else. When misused, opioid painkillers can lead to other drug abuse. Nearly 80 percent of heroin users previously abused prescription painkillers.

Take medication only as long as it’s needed, don’t take more than directed, and don’t borrow other people’s medications.

About 70 percent of people who abuse prescription painkillers get them through friends or relatives. Opioid painkillers should be safely secured at home and never shared with someone else.

To prevent others from taking drugs prescribed for you, promptly dispose of painkillers that are no longer needed by taking them to a secure disposal location, such as their local pharmacy or law enforcement agency. The Dose of Reality websites have interactive statewide maps of approved disposal locations.

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