LAWTON, Okla_Prescribed drugs are turning into the drug of choice and Lawton police say their abusers are willing to take desperate measures to get their hands on them even if it means falsifying a police report. Lawton police say within recent years they've seen a sharp increase in prescribed drug abuse and are handling reports of stolen or lost medication almost daily. They say while some reports check out, others are made so the alleged victim can get another prescription.
Because the sale of prescription drugs is so heavily monitored, refilling a prescription early or getting it replaced is virtually impossible to do without some sort of police documentation that proves how they were lost.
"In the 14 years I've been doing this prescription pill abuse has skyrocketed," Lieutenant Larry Cochran said.
Reports Lawton Police Lieutenant Larry Cochran and a team of detectives have to sift through to determine which are actual cases of stolen property or cases of drug abuse.
"You can kind of see the writing on the wall once you read through them, you're like these people are either using or are selling."
He says falsifying a report, prescription, or even stealing medication from a loved one isn't far fetched for some.
"People will come over take your pill bottle fill it full of aspirin and take your narcotic."
While some abusers are driven by the high, others are motivated by easy money.
"Your addicts, that's what they want that high as soon as it's over, they're out for the next one, rarely will you see one that regrets what they did. We also have people who will sell these prescription drugs for market value on the street. We have intelligence that says a Lortab can run $5-$10 depending on the demand."
While many abusers are caught many get away but not for long.
"It's never easy seeing someone in an overdose state, a lot of time people lose their lives due to prescription drugs sometimes accidentally sometimes on purpose."
Cochran said abusers are also doing what they call doctor shopping, which means faking an injury with one doctor, and trying to pass it off with a second. He says fortunately new laws are making it harder to do that.
Lieutenant Cochran said the most common prescription drugs abused are pain pills.
