Internet Drug Sales Continue to Increase

For the third year the number of Web sites advertising or selling controlled perescription drugs like OxyContin, Vicodin, Valium, and Ritalin has increased dramatically with most of them not requiring prescription nor taking steps to prevent children from ordering the drugs.

According to a report released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, 581 Web sites advertising or selling controlled prescription drugs were identified in 2007 compared to 342 sites in 2006.

"Sites advertising controlled prescription drugs increased by 135 percent, from 168 in 2006 to 394 in 2007. Sites selling these drugs increased by seven percent from 174 in 2006 to 187 in 2007. Of the 187 sites found selling controlled prescription drugs this year, only two were certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy," according to CASA.

The CASA White Paper, "You've Got Drugs!" IV: Prescription Drug Pushers on the Internet, was released at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Rogue Online Pharmacies: The Growing Problem of Internet Drug Trafficking."

No Prescription Required

Other findings in the White Paper include:

• 84 percent of sites selling these drugs did not require a prescription.

• Of the 16 percent that claimed to require a prescription, most (57 percent) simply ask that it be faxed, allowing a customer to forge it or use the same prescription many times to load up on these drugs.

• Over the past four years, the number of sites selling controlled prescription drugs has increased steadily from 154 in 2004 and 2005 to 187 in 2007.

• Benzodiazepines (Xanax and Valium) continue to be the most frequently offered controlled prescription drug, sold on 79 percent of the sites; followed by opioids (Vicodin and OxyContin) on 64 percent of the sites.

• There are no controls stopping sale of these drugs to children.

"The easy availability of addictive opioids, depressants and stimulants has, for many children, made the Internet a greater threat than the illegal street drug dealer," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA's chair and president. "The Internet has become a pharmaceutical candy store stocked with addictive drugs, available at the click of a mouse to any kid with a credit card number."

More Information:

• "You've Got Drugs!" IV
  
• Prescription Medications
  
• Pictures of Commonly Abused Drugs

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